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Cleveland Indians Playoffs: 10 Players Who Will Decide The Tribe, Boston Red Sox Series

By Nick Dudukovich

Aug 19, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona (right) heads back to the dugout after pitching change against the Boston Red Sox in the eighth inning at Fenway Park. The Red Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians 6-4. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 19, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona (right) heads back to the dugout after pitching change against the Boston Red Sox in the eighth inning at Fenway Park. The Red Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians 6-4. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 14, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rick Porcello (22) delivers against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 14, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rick Porcello (22) delivers against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Indians playoffs! There’s no sweeter combination of words. The Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox meet in the ALDS starting Thursday. These 10 players will decide the winner of the series.

Is there anything like Cleveland Indians playoffs? When the postseason is going well, there’s nothing quite like the buzz that weaves in and out of the fall climate on the north shore.

Get to know these 10 players, because chances are, they will be determining who moves on, and who goes home.

Rick Porcello

Add Rick Porcello to the list of 2016 award-worthy starters connected to Red Sox general manager Dave Dombroski. “He had Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and Rick Porcello in Detroit, and in his last act as Tigers GM last July 31, he acquired Michael Fulmer from the Mets in the Yoenis Cespedes trade. All four of those pitchers are in consideration for awards this year,” according to the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo.

For the Indians, Porcello is going to be a nuisance. The 22-game winner will likely start Game 1, which means the Tribe will see him more than once.

Porcello already has a win against the Indians in 2016. That victory came back when the Red Sox visited in April.

Porcello will be a tough adversary. His 0.99 WHIP is the best in baseball. That 3.11 ERA he carries around? Good enough for fifth. AL batters hit .227 against him. The Indians offense overachieved all season. Terry Francona’s lineup must continue to do so if the Tribe wants an extended run through October.

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