The Cleveland Guardians dropped Game 1 of the ALCS, 5-2, to the New York Yankees on Monday night. Their starting pitcher in the game was right-hander Alex Cobb. He’s now done for the season.
Cobb, who is dealing with a lower back strain, has been replaced on the ALCS roster with right-handed pitcher Ben Lively, Major League Baseball announced Tuesday afternoon. MLB made the announcement instead of the Guardians because the league must approve any roster substitutions during series. Cobb’s replacement was approved due to injury. MLB’s medical director, Dr. Gary Green, conducted a full review of the medical information.
As a result, Cobb will be ineligible by rule to return for the rest of the ALCS, obviously, but also the World Series, should the Guardians advance.
Lively, 32, was 13-10 with a 3.81 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP and 118 strikeouts against 49 walks in 151 innings in this season in the Guardians’ rotation. He hasn’t pitched since Sept. 28, but in taking Cobb’s place, he immediately becomes a candidate to start Game 4 or Game 5 of the series after Tanner Bibee (Game 2) and likely Matthew Boyd (Game 3). Gavin Williams and Lively are the two remaining starters on the roster, though Joey Cantillo has both started and relieved. There’s also the possibility of a bullpen game.
As for Cobb, the Guardians acquired him on July 30 for minor-leaguer Jacob Bresnahan and a player to be named later (which ended up being minor-leaguer Nate Furman). Cobb was injured at the time, though on the comeback trail. He continued to deal with injuries the rest of the way and only made three regular-season starts and two playoff starts, working 22 innings in all. He now hits free agency at age 37.
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