HOUSTON -- After the Red Sox earned a home split with a crucial 7-5 win over the Astros in Game 2 on Sunday night at Fenway Park, the stage is set for the type of classic American League Championship Series many expected from the teams that finished the regular season with the top two records in the Major Leagues.

"At this point, we might as well just treat it as a five-game set, and we're starting on the road," said Boston righty Rick Porcello. "We've got to do what we did in New York and come ready to play Game 1 and go from there."

• ALCS presented by Google Assistant, Game 3: Today, 5:09 p.m. ET/4:09 CT on TBS

Meanwhile, when the series continues today at Minute Maid Park, the defending World Series-champion Astros will try to get rolling again after the Sox handed them their first loss of the postseason.

:: ALCS schedule and results ::

Starting lineups
Red Sox: Mookie Betts (two doubles, two runs) got going in Game 2, and that's always a big thing. As Betts goes, so go the Red Sox. If J.D. Martinez (0-for-7 in the series) can get going in Houston, the Astros will truly feel the brunt of Boston's high-powered attack. Eduardo Nunez will be back in the lineup with lefty Dallas Keuchel pitching for Houston.

1. Mookie Betts, RF
2. Andrew Benintendi, LF
3. J.D. Martinez, DH
4. Xander Bogaerts, SS
5. Steve Pearce, 1B
6. Eduardo Nunez, 3B
7. Ian Kinsler, 2B
8. Christian Vazquez, C
9. Jackie Bradley Jr., CF

Astros: Manager AJ Hinch inserted Jose Altuve as the designated hitter for Game 3 after the 2017 AL MVP banged his bum right knee in Game 2 and was limping afterwards. Marwin Gonzalez will play second base and Tony Kemp got the start in left field. Also, veteran catcher Brian McCann will start and catch Keuchel like he did in Game 3 of the ALDS.

1. George Springer, CF
2. Jose Altuve, DH
3. Alex Bregman, 3B
4. Yuli Gurriel, 1B
5. Marwin Gonzalez, 2B
6. Josh Reddick, RF
7. Carlos Correa, SS
8. Brian McCann, C
9. Tony Kemp, LF

Who are the starting pitchers?
Red Sox: Eovaldi gets the ball in Game 3, just as he did at Yankee Stadium in the ALDS. The Red Sox are hoping for a similar performance, as Eovaldi sparkled (seven innings, five hits, one run, no walks, five K's) en route to victory in his postseason debut. He fired seven pitches at 100 mph or more in that one, the most by a traditional starting pitcher in any MLB game this season.

Astros: Keuchel, the 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner, gets the nod. The lefty continued his career-long playoff success with a solid start in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Indians, allowing two runs in five innings before the Astros added 10 late runs to secure a sweep. He has a 3.28 ERA in nine postseason outings and a 7.46 ERA in four career starts against the Red Sox. Keuchel held Boston to one run in 5 2/3 innings in Game 2 of the 2017 ALDS.

Video: Must C Conclusion: Red Sox hold on, knot ALCS at 1

How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Red Sox: The Red Sox are starting to gain confidence in their postseason bullpen. Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier and Joe Kelly have all had strong results of late. Closer Craig Kimbrel, who has given up at least one run in all three of his outings this October, is trying to find his groove. If Boston needs length in Game 3, lefty Eduardo Rodriguez can provide it.

Astros: Houston's bullpen will be about as rested as it could be, considering relievers threw only two innings in Game 2 on Sunday ahead of Monday's off-day. Closer Roberto Osuna has yet to pitch in this series, though he did warm up in Game 1 before the Astros blew it open in the ninth inning.

Are there any relievers who are unavailable?
Red Sox: None.

Astros: None.

Any injuries of note?
Red Sox: First baseman Mitch Moreland has reached base in both of his plate appearances as a pinch-hitter and is getting closer to making his first start since suffering a right hamstring injury in Game 2 of the ALDS. With a lefty going for the Astros in Game 3, Moreland likely won't start until Game 4.

Astros: Gonzalez hurt his back and neck when he crashed into the Green Monster in Game 2, but he said he would be fine for Game 3.

Video: ALCS Gm2: Betts drills an RBI double in the 8th

Who is hot and who is not?
Red Sox: After his two-hit performance in Game 2, Betts could be poised to take over. When he is hot, the Red Sox are a different team. … Devers is earning more playing time. The 21-year-old is hitting .360 (9-for-25) since Sept. 25. … Nunez is hitting .143 in the postseason, and Boston could use some production from him against lefties.

Astros: Bregman doesn't have a hit in the ALCS (0-for-3), but he has drawn six walks and been hit by a pitch, giving him a .700 on-base percentage. … Altuve is 1-for-8 in this series, and Reddick (1-for-7), White (0-for-5), Gurriel (2-for-9) and Gonzalez (1-for-8 with a homer) have also scuffled. … Springer (3-for-8) leads the Astros in hits and RBIs (four) in the ALCS. He has a hit in 11 consecutive playoff games, which is a club record. The MLB record is 17, shared by Derek Jeter (1998-99), Hank Bauer (1956-58) and Manny Ramirez (2003-04).

Video: Springer hits safely in 11 straight postseason games

Anything else fans might want to know?
• This is the 16th time the Red Sox have been tied with their opponent after the first two games of a postseason series. Boston is 9-6 in those series, winning the past three.

• This is the eighth time the Astros have been tied with their opponent after the first two games of a postseason series. Houston is 2-5 in those series.

• Since the start of last year's postseason, the Astros are 10-1 at Minute Maid Park.

• Boston started the 2017 ALDS by getting routed in the first two games in Houston. The Astros won that best-of-five series in four games.

• Houston has homered in an MLB-record 14 consecutive postseason games.

Whether the Dodgers can make it back to the World Series for a second straight season, and whether they can flip last year's script and win it, will depend heavily on Manny Machado.

For Machado personally, this postseason could also have longer-term implications -- it's one last big showcase before the superstar shortstop hits free agency this winter, with the chance to command a massive deal as one of the two marquee names on the market, along with Bryce Harper.

• NLCS presented by Google Assistant, Game 4: Tonight, 9:09 p.m. ET on FS1

Through three games of the National League Championship Series, Machado has played like a star. After a brief slow-ish start to the playoffs (which still included the decisive two-run homer in the Dodgers' Game 2 Division Series win over the Braves), Machado has posted three multihit efforts and a pair of home runs in his past four games. In the NLCS, Machado is 5-for-11 with a homer and a double.

:: NLCS schedule and results ::

But his effort came into question after he didn't hustle on a groundout to shortstop in the fourth inning of Game 2. And in an interview with Ken Rosenthal for FS1, which will air prior to Game 4 tonight, Machado acknowledged that he had no excuse for not running hard, but also said that he isn't going to change the way he plays the game.

"Obviously I'm not going to change, I'm not the type of player that's going to be 'Johnny Hustle,' and run down the line and slide to first base and … you know, whatever can happen," Machado said in the interview, which was published in The Athletic. "That's just not my personality, that's not my cup of tea, that's not who I am.

"Should I have run on that pitch? Yeah … but I didn't and I gotta pay the consequences for it. It does look bad. It looks terrible. I look back at the video and I'm like, 'Whoa, what was I doing?'"

Machado said that it's not because he's hurt, he just hasn't always run hard on those plays.

"I've been thinking about it, and it happens every time. There's no excuse for it, honestly," Machado told Rosenthal. "I've never given excuses for not running. I'm not hurt, there's no excuse. But I've been the same player … I've been doing this for [seven] years, I'm in The Show for [seven] years, I've done the same thing for [seven] years, I've been the same player."

Manager Dave Roberts said that for all Machado does well offensively and defensively -- and at times exceptionally -- sometimes you just pick your battles.

"There's no perfect player," Roberts said. "A guy that posts every inning is hard to come by these days. For me, the net, it's not even close."

Machado said that he takes the blame for the lack of effort, but that he hasn't been able to change since he got to the Majors -- although he said one day he might "figure it out."

Video: NLCS Gm2: Arcia makes long throw to retire Machado

"Before I even step out of the box, I look to the shortstop, he has the ball in his hands and I'm like, 'I'm out.' … I mean, what am I going to do?" Machado said.

"Should I have given it a little more effort? One hundred percent. [It's] my fault like always, I mean that's just my mentality when I'm in the game. [There are] things that you learn, things that you gotta change. I've tried changing it for eight years, and I still can't figure it out but, one of these days I will."

Video: NLCS Gm3: Brewers turn DP on Machado's illegal slide

Machado not running out every ground ball won't stop him from getting a blockbuster deal in free agency, and it may not cost the Dodgers significantly on the field, either. But it's drawn visibility on the postseason stage, as have a couple of questionable takeout slides into second base, including one that resulted in a double play in Game 3 due to a violation of MLB's slide rules.

In an October increasingly consumed by the bullpens, make sure to pay close attention to the pair of arms who will be starting Tuesday's Game 3 of the American League Championship Series in Houston, if only for the differences in style, background and approach.  

• ALCS presented by Google Assistant, Game 3: Today, 5:09 p.m. ET/4:09 CT on TBS

That's because Dallas Keuchel is a durable soft-tossing lefty ground-ball machine, one who has been in Houston so long that when he debuted in 2012, the Astros were in the National League and wore brick-red-and-black uniforms. Meanwhile, Nathan Eovaldi is a flame-throwing righty, one with top-five starting-pitcher fastball velocity, who didn't pitch at all in '17 and has been with the Red Sox since July.

:: ALCS schedule and results ::

One pitched in college and is a former AL Cy Young Award winner (Keuchel, 2015). The other was drafted out of high school (Eovaldi, '08), was once traded for Hanley Ramirez ('12) and injured his elbow so badly that he needed to have surgery before he could have Tommy John surgery, which was his second time undergoing the procedure ('16).

It's difficult to find two pitchers who are as diametrically opposed as these two are, but they do have one thing in common: In a few short weeks, they'll each be free agents, and they'll likely be among the top arms in a limited starting-pitching market. That means that when you tune in on Tuesday night, you won't just be seeing two starters who should help swing a tied ALCS in one direction or the other; you'll be watching two pitchers who could end up being highly sought after on the open market beginning in November.

That's more than just speculation, too. Let's assume that Chris Sale, Cole Hamels, Madison Bumgarner, David Price and Clayton Kershaw, all with various opt-outs and team options, don't reach the free-agent market. (Kershaw is likely to opt out, but it's easy to see him reaching a new agreement with the Dodgers to remain anyway.)

If we look at the remaining free-agent starting-pitching options, two things become clear:

1) Arizona lefty Patrick Corbin will clearly be the top starter available. 

2) Everyone else is either entering their mid-to-late 30s (CC Sabathia, Charlie Morton, J.A. Happ, Anibal Sanchez, etc), didn't have strong platform years (Matt Harvey, Lance Lynn, Marco Estrada, Drew Pomeranz, etc.) or is a unique case like Hyun-Jin Ryu, who was excellent this year for the Dodgers (1.97 ERA) yet hasn't thrown 150 innings since 2014.

Video: BOS@NYY Gm3: Eovaldi on command, win over Yankees

To that end, we collected 24 free-agent starting options who faced at least 300 batters this year, a group that ranges in age from 28 to, yes, 45, as Bartolo Colon turned in May.

Here's how Tuesday night's starting duo ranked in a variety of important metrics.

Age: Eovaldi (28) second youngest, Keuchel (30) seventh youngest
Innings: Eovaldi (111) 15th, Keuchel (204 2/3) first
Strikeout rate: Eovaldi (22 percent) ninth, Keuchel (18 percent) 20th
Walk rate: Eovaldi (4 percent) third, Keuchel (7 percent) ninth
Four-seam fastball velocity: Eovaldi (97.5 mph) first, Keuchel (90.2 mph) 20th
Ground-ball rate: Eovaldi (46 percent) 12th, Keuchel (54 percent) second
Hard-hit rate: Eovaldi (35 percent) 13th, Keuchel (33 percent) eighth
Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA): Eovaldi (.293) seventh, Keuchel (.306) 12th
Expected Weighted On-Base Average (xwOBA): Eovaldi (.283) fifth, Keuchel (.289), seventh

(wOBA is an outcome metric similar to on-base percentage, except that more credit is given for more valuable hits, rather than treating each time on base equally. Expected wOBA is a Statcast™ metric that attempts to strip away ballpark and defense by focusing on the usual outcomes of the batted balls allowed, based on exit velocity and launch angle.)

Some of the differences there are clear, especially in velocity and in durability. (Though Eovaldi's total was kept down by the fact that he didn't make his 2018 debut until May 30, Keuchel reached 200 innings for the third time and has never been on the disabled list for anything more serious than a pinched nerve in his neck.)

Video: HOU@CLE Gm 3: Keuchel on 2018 season, free agency

Teams will account for all of that, clearly. But they'll also look at Eovaldi's status as the youngest starter available (he made his Major League debut at 21 for the 2011 Dodgers), and the trends that each of these two have shown to this point. 

For example, of the 189 pitchers who threw at least 100 innings in each of the last two seasons, no starter lost as much ground-ball rate as Keuchel did, dropping from 67 percent in 2017 to 54 percent in '18 -- though some of that can be explained by the fact that by leading all starters in '17, he had plenty of room to fall. That might not be so bad, except that he also dropped his strikeout rate from 21 percent to 18 percent, a top-10 drop among those 189 pitchers.

Eovaldi, meanwhile, was arguably the best starter traded this summer, depending on how you feel about Happ, thanks in part because the development of a new cut fastball (thrown 33 percent of the time, up from 8 percent in 2016) finally gave him a reliable complement to his relatively hittable four-seamer. By striking out 101 against only 20 walks, Eovaldi's 5.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio was a top-12 mark, between Corbin and Miles Mikolas. (He also didn't issue any walks in seven innings against the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS.) 

Video: MLB Tonight talks to Eovaldi about his dominant start

Interested teams aren't going to meaningfully change their evaluations based on what happens in one postseason game on Tuesday night, but a sparkling performance against a good lineup would only serve to improve the cases of Eovaldi and Keuchel. 

Who might those interested teams be? Let's drop a pure speculation alert notice here and try to guess where the best fits might be.

Eovaldi

Best fit: Astros

What if Eovaldi's appearance in Game 3 isn't just about pushing the Red Sox closer to a title but is also about auditioning for his next club in person? The Astros will need rotation help if they lose Keuchel and Morton to free agency, and no team has proven themselves better at helping pitchers get the most out of their raw talent than Houston has.

Keuchel

Best fit: Yankees

Perhaps this is too obvious. Then again, it's clear that the Yankees need starters, with Happ, Sabathia and Lynn all reaching free agency; Masahiro Tanaka and Luis Severino can't do it alone. They're the clear front-runners for Corbin, and it's easy to see them being in on Keuchel as well, in part because Yankee Stadium is such an extreme hitter's park that someone who can keep the ball on the ground would be ideal. 

Other interested teams might include the Angels, Mariners, Reds, A's, D-backs, Rangers, White Sox and Brewers, but that's also somewhat just the tip of the iceberg here. After all, both Eovaldi and Keuchel are likely to be among the best free-agent starters available, behind Corbin. It's not going to be difficult to find interested suitors, and they'll all be laser-focused on every pitch on Tuesday night.

The changing attitude about MLB front offices -- about age, about longevity, about long-term contracts, about free agency in general -- has changed how we are looking forward to the 2018-19 Hot Stove season. What once looked like an unprecedented amount of impending spending now looks like ... well, one wonders if it will look a little like last offseason.

But one place, at least theoretically, in which evolving attitudes in baseball should benefit some free agents is the increasing reliance on bullpens. Starters, wins, "quality starts": All of these are decreasing in value as teams try out new strategies with "openers" and "bullpen games" and swingmen.

If there were ever a time when free-agent relievers should be valued and ready to cash in, it would be now. There are plenty of excellent ones out there, after all, from Craig Kimbrel and Adam Ottavino to Zach Britton and Andrew Miller to David Robertson and Joe Kelly. Those guys all have to be looking at how this postseason has been managed, particularly by the Brewers, and salivating. The long-ignored middle reliever has never been more valued.

• Complete list of free agents this offseason

But is free agency really the way to build a championship-quality bullpen? Should teams open up their wallets for these guys? After all, the big spenders on relievers this past offseason were the Colorado Rockies, who spent $106 million on Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw and Jake McGee, who had ERAs of 4.13, 5.93 and 6.49, respectively. You could find endless Minor League kids to give you better than that, and they're cheap, too.

So what's right? Let's look no further than the four teams in the League Championship Series and see how they built their bullpens. Did they buy arms, build them or trade for them? What's the right strategy? How do you get this far?

Boston Red Sox
Via trade: Heath Hembree, Joe Kelly, Craig Kimbrel, Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez
Via Draft: Matt Barnes, Brandon Workman
Via free agency: Ryan Brasier
Via waivers: None
Porcello and Rodriguez have only been relievers this particular offseason, and they will go back to starting next season. (And maybe again in these playoffs.) Barnes and Workman haven't been in another organization this decade. Brasier is the only free-agent signing, and he's a little bit of the exception that proves the rule. He pitched in Japan last year and hadn't pitched in the Majors since 2013 until July. The Red Sox signed Brasier to a Minor League contract in Spring Training and promoted him in July. He won't even be arbitration-eligible until 2020, so while he was technically signed as a free agent, he was never sought after on the open market like your typical Hot Stove free agent.

Video: Ryan Brasier talks about his comeback to the Majors

Houston Astros
Via trade: Roberto Osuna, Ryan Pressly
Via Draft: Josh James, Lance McCullers Jr.
Via free agency: Hector Rondon, Tony Sipp, Joe Smith
Via waivers: Collin McHugh
More than any other team left, the Astros have embraced free agency as a way to help out their bullpen. Both Rondon and Smith were signed this past offseason, within days of each other. Smith was the higher-priced addition, at two years at $15 million, while Rondon got two years at $8.5 million. They were both perfectly fine this season, if not spectacular, and it's worth noting that James, Osuna, Pressly, McHugh and McCullers were all better and are probably higher on the bullpen depth chart at this particular moment. Sipp, the other free-agent signing, has been outstanding this season, with a 1.86 ERA as the team's lefty specialist. That's the good news. The bad news is that Houston signed him to a three-year, $18 million contract before the 2016 season ... and he was lousy in both 2016 and '17 before finally turning it around this year. Sipp was left off the postseason roster for all three rounds during the Astros' World Series run last year. He, so far, has only faced one batter this offseason. (He did get him out.)

Video: HOU@BAL: Rondon strikes out Stewart, earns the save

Los Angeles Dodgers
Via trade: Dylan Floro, Ryan Madson, Alex Wood
Via Draft: Caleb Ferguson
Via free agency: Pedro Baez, Kenley Jansen, Kenta Maeda, Julio Urias
Via waivers: None
This is where the moniker "free agent" loses some of its utility. Urias, Baez and Jansen have pitched with only the Dodgers their entire careers, and they were all international signings as teenagers. They are technically considered free-agent signings, but only technically. (Though Jansen, of course, signed an extension.) Maeda was signed out of Japan in January 2016. Jansen is probably the only pitcher who counts as a free agent here, and it's arguable if he ever really hit the open market.

Video: NLCS Gm2: Jansen retires Yelich for clutch save

Milwaukee Brewers
Via trade: Xavier Cedeno, Josh Hader, Jeremy Jeffress, Corey Knebel, Freddy Peralta, Joakim Soria
Via Draft: Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff
Via free agency: None
Via waivers: Junior Guerra
And here we have the most damning argument of all against signing big free-agent relievers. The best, most innovative bullpen in either LCS was constructed by a front office that steadfastly avoided big-ticket items. Hader was acquired as one of the lesser names in the Carlos Gomez trade and has blossomed into the best relief weapon in the sport. Someone's going to sign Kimbrel and Ottavino to massive, lengthy contracts this offseason. It's not going to be Milwaukee. It's already covered its bases elsewhere ... both more cheaply and more efficiently.

 Video: NLCS Gm1: Woodruff pitches 2 perfect innings, homers

HOUSTON -- Fittingly, the journey that J.D. Martinez is on as he tries to win a World Series for the first time in his career will take him to Minute Maid Park this week.

Martinez and the Red Sox come to town tied, 1-1, in this American League Championship Series. Games 3 through 5 are in Houston from today through Thursday.

• ALCS presented by Google Assistant, Game 3: Today, 5:09 p.m. ET on TBS

It is back to the old stomping grounds for the masher in the middle of the Boston batting order.

Martinez, who debuted with Houston in 2011, had hoped to play a big role for a then rebuilding Astros franchise, one that was confident it would eventually climb to the top of baseball's mountain.

:: ALCS schedule and results ::

But Martinez had those hopes taken away coldly on March 22, 2014, when he was released by the club that had drafted and developed him due to a logjam in the outfield.

The Astros did turn into a powerhouse, winning the World Series last year.

• Gear up for the ALCS

Martinez turned into a powerful hitter -- one of the finest and most dangerous in the game. First, he went to Detroit and made a name for himself. Then Martinez became a trade acquisition for the ages with the D-backs last summer. And with the spotlight of Boston on him after signing as a free agent back in February, Martinez has swiftly turned into one of the most impactful acquisitions in Red Sox history.

So in a way, everything worked out for both sides.

• Red Sox-Astros G3: Lineups, matchups, FAQs

Although hindsight is always 20/20, the decision for the Astros to let Martinez go when they did is defensible when you look at the pedestrian numbers he had there. In 975 plate appearances from 2011-13, Martinez slashed .251/.300/.387 with 24 homers and 126 RBIs.

Martinez has made 2,792 regular-season plate appearances since leaving the Astros, slashing .307/.371/.586 with 171 homers and 480 RBIs. The timing was unfortunate for Houston, because Martinez had just started to discover the art of launch angle during the winter before he was released. But his launch party would start in Detroit, before continuing to other destinations.

Video: ALCS Gm1: Martinez on coming to Boston this season

All of that brings us to this week and Martinez's tantalizing opportunity to stick it to the Astros and stop their path short of a second straight World Series title. To do that, he will have to break out of his early ALCS funk; the right-handed hitter is 0-for-7 with a walk and three strikeouts.

Before Game 2, Astros manager AJ Hinch had called Mookie Betts a ticking time bomb. And there Betts was, breaking out of his postseason rut with a two-double performance later that night. Now it could be Martinez's turn to do the same.

Part of the reason Martinez has the ability to go off and carry the lineup like he has done several times this season is due to the fire the Astros built within him by releasing him at the age of 26.

Video: ALCS Gm1: Betts on learning from J.D. Martinez

"I think it made me who I am," Martinez told MLB.com earlier this season. "I've always been hungry, but when people ask what drives you -- 'How do you stay so driven throughout this whole thing?' -- you just don't stop. It's every single day. The people that know me and the people that love me and are in my life see it.

"My brother-in-law came up to me and was like, 'Dude, I admire your life and what you do and everything you do. It's amazing. I wouldn't want it for me. Because the amount of time you spend in this game, the amount of time away from your family, that's stuff you'll never get back.'

"But it's my passion, it's my love, it's what I love to do. To me, that took my [intensity] to another level where when you have something taken away. … It's like the famous expression, you don't realize you love something until it's gone."'

Now it is the baseball that is so often gone when Martinez steps to the plate.

This season, Martinez hit .330 with 43 homers and an MLB-leading 130 RBIs. He bashed a three-run homer to help sink the Yankees in Game 1 of the AL Division Series.

Video: MLB Tonight breaks down J.D. Martinez this season

It is likely that Martinez will have something to say about the ALCS before it is over.

But if he does "do damage," as the slogan for this Red Sox postseason drive goes, revenge against his former team won't be what drives him. In a way, Martinez is thankful to the Astros.

"I mean, I learned a lot from Houston. And you know what? It made me who I am and there's really no animosity there," Martinez said. "In a sense, they did me a favor by allowing me to leave and going to play on another team. And if it wasn't for that, I probably wouldn't be here right now. Who knows where I would have been?"

The doctor came back into the room where Didi Gregorius, with his elbow ailing and his future in question, was awaiting word on the MRI results.

"Give it to me straight, Doc," Gregorius said, fearing the worst -- Tommy John surgery, which would delay his availability for the 2019 season.

The doctor took a deep breath, gathered his thoughts. Moments like these are difficult, and he was cognizant of Gregorius' feelings.

Finally, he looked his patient in the eye.

"Well," the doctor said, "it sure looks like the Yankees will be signing Manny Machado!"

OK, in case it wasn't abundantly clear, that's a totally made-up story. But it's not all that different from the way in which last week's surprising Gregorius news was reported. The dot-connecting between Gregorius' injury and Machado's pending free-agent availability was instant and obvious, and the Machado-to-the-Bronx chatter isn't likely to die down anytime soon.

Video: NLCS Gm1: Machado's 115.6-mph homer opens the scoring

But having consulted the Collective Bargaining Agreement, I can confidently tell you there is no Major League Baseball bylaw that stipulates that the Yankees must sign Machado. As a matter of fact, there actually are some decent arguments against signing Machado, such as:

• The bidding is likely to begin at 10 years. The Yankees know too well how a superstar contract can easily -- and sometimes quickly -- morph into an albatross contract, and they might be leery of going down that road after Year 1 of the Giancarlo Stanton experience (which itself followed the Alex Rodriguez experience) was far less fruitful than envisioned.

• Remember: If the Yankees go over the luxury-tax threshold, they'll have to pay 20 cents on every dollar spent above $206 million in 2019. If the Yanks are still going to try to stay below or near the threshold, the starting pitching market needs to be their No. 1 priority -- even ahead of the "generational infielder" market.

• We've heard time and again that Machado wants to be a Yankee, but how would he handle the severe scrutiny of playing for this club? He's had instances, including during Game 2 of this NLCS, in which he's been criticized for a lack of hustle. That's the kind of thing that would blow up even bigger in the Bronx.

• Would Machado be comfortable ceding shortstop to Gregorius when Didi returns? Or is his heart dead-set on sticking to that particular position?

Having said all of the above, should the Yankees sign Machado if they're comfortable with the contractual terms?

Well, duh. Of course they should.

But let's explore some non-Machado means of shoring up the Yankees' infield, because, as we've seen time and again in baseball, sometimes the sexiest option in the here and now isn't always the most attractive one in the long term.

1. Trade for Nolan Arenado
To be clear, I don't seriously expect the Rockies to trade Arenado on the heels of consecutive postseason appearances, even though there are serious concerns the club won't have the means to re-sign the Scott Boras client when he hits free agency after 2019. They are far more likely to take him into the season and see what develops.

Video: COL@LAD: Arenado belts a solo homer to left field

But if the Yankees came calling with a package fronted by American League Rookie of the Year candidate Miguel Andujar, that's something the Rox -- even with the enormous associated defensive downgrade -- would at least have to consider.

2. Trade for Paul Goldschmidt
This is more realistic. After falling short of October, the D-backs are open to offers on their signature stars, and Goldschmidt is a year away from free agency. There are not a lot of obvious landing spots, because most contenders are fairly well aligned at first base, but Greg Bird's struggles this year and the obvious questions about whether Luke Voit will turn back into a pumpkin in 2019 make the Yankees a potential landing spot for a guy who could/should be top three in the National League MVP voting for the fourth time this year.

Video: ATL@ARI: Goldschmidt belts an opposite-field solo HR

Obviously, this move would still require a stopgap solution at short and would solve nothing on the defensive front with Andujar, who is a clear candidate to move to first base after a rookie year in which advanced metrics such as defensive runs saved and UZR had him as one of the worst hot-corner defenders on record. But the Yankees saw a young second baseman named Robinson Cano improve defensively after a terrible rookie showing, so riding it out with Andujar is not without precedent.

3. Sign a second baseman
Clearly, the in-house shortstop stopgap solution is Gleyber Torres. And if the Yankees move Torres to short in place of an injured Gregorius, well, it would appear somebody's got to play second base.

Video: NYY@BOS: Yankees set team HR record on Torres' blast 

Daniel Murphy might be the most interesting name here. While his right-knee woes, which included microfracture surgery last offseason, make him a big injury risk, the thought of what his left-handed pull power could do with the short porch at Yankee Stadium is awfully enticing. Of course, a defensive infield featuring Murphy at second, Torres at short (where he's not as sharp as he is at second) and Andujar at third is suboptimal, on paper. But at least it's not costing you the $35 million a year it might take to land Machado. And Murphy can move to first when Gregorius comes back.

If Murphy's a no-go, then Jed Lowrie is a switch-hitting veteran coming off two terrific years in Oakland (his OPS+ in both 2017 and '18 was 20 percent better than the league average). Other second-base bats include Brian Dozier, Logan Forsythe, DJ LeMahieu and Ian Kinsler, all of whom are right-handed hitters.

4. Sign a glove-oriented shortstop or an infield rover
This would be the cheapest, simplest and, yes, least sexy external solution to the Gregorius concern.

The shortstop market will offer several options, including Jose Iglesias, Freddy Galvis (whose 325 consecutive games played streak makes him baseball's current "Iron Man," for whatever that's worth) and late-season Yankees pickup Adeiny Hechavarria.

Utility types available will include Eduardo Escobar, Marwin Gonzalez, Daniel Descalso, Asdrubal Cabrera and old friend Neil Walker (who might better approximate his 2017 numbers with an actual Spring Training). Though their value rests more in their versatility, Escobar, Gonzalez and Cabrera -- all of whom are switch-hitters -- could be directly applied to short in Gregorius' stead, then go back to roaming when he returns. Gonzalez is just turning 30, which, combined with the way he's stepped up for the Astros on the postseason stage the last two years, makes him possibly the most attractive -- and, yes, most expensive -- option here.

5. Keep it in-house
And this the least sexy option of all. It would revolve around the Yankees expending all their energy -- and dollars -- elsewhere on the roster (primarily the rotation) while shifting Torres to short and giving the likes of Ronald Torreyes and/or Tyler Wade the at-bats at second.

Hey, you know what feels a heck of a lot more likely than this option?

The Yankees signing Machado.

As the postseason concludes, Hot Stove season begins. MLB.com is keeping track of all the latest free agent and trade rumors right here.

Machado, Grandal on opposite tracks in postseason
Oct. 16: One run of postseason games might not outweigh the full body of work of the regular season, but it leaves an impression. And two of the Dodgers' key free-agents-to-be, Manny Machado and Yasmani Grandal, have been trending in opposite directions this October.

Machado, one of the two marquee names hitting the market this winter along with Bryce Harper, has been heating up. After a slow-ish start to the playoffs -- which still included the decisive two-run homer in the Dodgers' Game 2 NLDS win over the Braves -- the superstar shortstop has three multi-hit efforts and a pair of home runs in his last four games. In the NLCS, Machado is 5-for-11 with a homer and a double (although there have been questions about his hustle after he didn't run hard on a groundout in Game 2).

Grandal, on the other hand, has struggled offensively and behind the plate. He's hitting just .136 this postseason (3-for-22) with one homer. But Grandal's defense has been the most visible issue. He's had two nightmarish games in the NLCS, both of which have resulted in the Dodgers replacing him with Austin Barnes for the following game.

In Game 1, a one-run loss, Grandal had two errors and two passed balls -- becoming the first catcher in postseason history with multiple errors and multiple passed balls in the same game. Barnes then started Game 2. Grandal returned for Game 3, but had another tough night in another Dodgers loss. He couldn't block a wild pitch in the sixth inning, which brought home a run for the Brewers, and he had a passed ball in the eighth. After that, Barnes will start Tuesday's Game 4.

That's now two straight postseasons Grandal has lost playing time to Barnes. Last year, Barnes started 13 of the Dodgers' 15 playoff games at catcher, including all seven World Series games, compared to just two starts for Grandal.

Even after Grandal's impressive 2018 regular season -- he hit the second-most home runs among catchers (24) and the third-highest wRC+ (125, meaning he was 25 percent better than a league-average hitter) -- that's not what potential suitors want to see in October out of a free-agent target, especially one who could be an important signing at a critical position.

Braves enter winter with flexibility to address needs
Oct. 15: The Braves could be major players in free agency. The club will have considerable financial flexibility with at least $60 million to spend this winter, reported MLB.com's Mark Bowman. 

Atlanta enters the offseason with needs at catcher and in the outfield, bullpen and starting rotation. The Braves could go a number of directions once free agency opens, but they'll likely make another run at Marlins All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto and explore the trade market before any aggressive signings, per Bowman. They could also pursue D-backs pitcher Patrick Corbin, one of the top arms on the market.

Tweet from @mlbbowman: Today���s session with Anthopoulos confirmed the Braves will have plenty financial flexibility. Specifics weren���t revealed, but it appears they���ll have at least $60M to fill multiple needs: Catcher, OF, Bullpen depth, a SP, but only if Corbin or another frontline option makes sense

After being eliminated by the Dodgers in the National League Division Series, the Braves' first move of the offseason was signing manager Brian Snitker to a two-year contract Monday that includes an option for the 2021 season.

Giants could pursue Harper, but competition expected to be fierce
Oct. 15: Although Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, the two biggest names set to hit free agency this offseason, play different positions, the markets for both players will surely dovetail in some way.

For instance, the Giants are expected to be one of the suitors for Harper, and their pursuit could be indirectly affected by the Yankees, as John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle pointed out Saturday.

With the news that shortstop Didi Gregorius is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery, many now speculate that the Yankees will make a greater push for Machado.

If that happens, and New York comes away with Machado, it could in turn make the Dodgers -- Machado's current team -- more likely to make a serious push for Harper. That could be bad news for the Giants, as Los Angeles will likely be able to outbid San Francisco for Harper and is arguably a more attractive landing spot for the superstar outfielder.

Could Goldschmidt be a fit for Yankees?
Oct. 15: Facing a critical juncture this offseason after missing the playoffs in 2018, the D-backs are reportedly expected to listen to offers for a number of their top players, including Paul Goldschmidt.

• Complete list of free agents this offseason

The problem for Arizona, as ESPN's Buster Olney noted via Twitter, is that there aren't a lot of obvious fits for Goldschmidt, as many contenders are set at first base. However, Olney speculates that the Yankees could enter the mix for the six-time All-Star, who can become a free agent after the 2019 season.

Tweet from @Buster_ESPN: As has been reported, the D-Backs will listen to offers on their best players, including Paul Goldschmidt. Most contenders are locked in at 1B for 2019; the Cubs have Rizzo, for example. Total speculation: One team that could be a great fit for a Goldschmidt deal -- the Yankees.

Tweet from @Buster_ESPN: This is all speculation... To add: for Goldschmidt, hitting in Yankee Stadium as he went through his free-agent season, in the middle of a deep lineup, could be a great development for him, as well.

New York's current options at first base include in-season acquisition Luke Voit and Greg Bird, who hasn't been able to stay healthy or consistently produce during his big league tenure. The Yankees will need to decide if either player is a long-term answer.

Voit seemingly has the inside edge to earn a starting job in 2019, as he hit .322 with 15 homers in only 47 games with the club and became an everyday lineup fixture down the stretch. But Voit will be 28 on Opening Day, and he'll need to show that his 2018 performance was not a fluke.

Meanwhile, Goldschmidt remains one of the best hitters in baseball, recording a .290 average with 33 homers and a .922 OPS in 2018, and he could help the Yankees close the gap with the Red Sox and Astros in the American League.

Rockies facing big questions this offseason
Oct. 15: Before the Rockies make a bid for their third straight postseason appearance in 2019, they will need to answer a number of pressing questions about their roster this offseason, which Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post broke down Sunday.

Among those questions is what to do about impending free agents DJ LeMahieu, Carlos Gonzalez and Adam Ottavino. Saunders considers it unlikely that the Rockies will re-sign LeMahieu and Ottavino, and he speculates that the club could look to move on from Gonzalez as well, even though the outfielder has expressed interest in returning.

While that would give Colorado three big holes to address, it doesn't necessarily mean the club will look to the free-agent market for replacements, especially considering the mixed results the Rockies have gotten from recent signings such as Ian Desmond, Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw and Jake McGee, a quartet that will take up a sizable portion of the payroll in 2019. The Rockies may also look to work on a contract extension with Nolan Arenado, who can become a free agent after next season.

As a result, greater importance will likely be placed on low-cost youngsters such as David Dahl, Ryan McMahon, Garrett Hampson, Brendan Rodgers and Raimel Tapia in 2019.

Does Gregorius' injury set stage for Machado to join Yankees?
Oct. 12: With Didi Gregorius set to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, the shortstop position is now an unexpected question mark for the Yankees.

The speculation, of course, is that Gregorius' injury may only increase the Yankees' interest in impending free agent Manny Machado, who was already expected to be on the club's offseason radar as a potential option at third base.

Tweet from @JonHeyman: Could the didi news trigger yankees��� interest in Machado? MM has played a much better ss in LA, is believed interested in yankees.

Machado, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner at the hot corner, struggled defensively at shortstop with the Orioles this season (-18 defensive runs saved), but he has been much improved since joining the Dodgers in a July trade (6 DRS).

Machado's interest in joining the Yankees was documented back in August, when MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported for Fancred Sports that people close to the slugger were suggesting that the club was his first choice in free agency.

Gregorius has been worth 8.7 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) over the past two seasons, so the Yankees aren't going to be in a hurry to move on from him. But the shortstop can become a free agent next offseason, and signing Machado would give the Yankees extra leverage in contract negotiations with Gregorius, as well as insurance in case his recovery from Tommy John surgery doesn't go smoothly.

The Yankees could also sign Machado and then work out an extension with Gregorius to secure the left side of their infield into the next decade, but they would need to trade or find a new position for third baseman Miguel Andujar.

Kershaw could exercise opt-out clause
Oct. 12: Clayton Kershaw is expected to opt out of his contract with Los Angeles after this season and test the free-agent waters, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman.

Kershaw, 30, has two years and just over $70 million remaining on a seven-year, $215 million contract he signed with the Dodgers prior to the 2014 season.

The '14 NL MVP Award winner and three-time NL Cy Young Award winner has dealt with lingering back issues the past three seasons and was limited to just 26 starts this year, so it is far from certain that the left-hander would be able to find a suitor for another longterm deal. However, he'd like be able to sign for more than the two years he has left on his current pact with the Dodgers.

Video: ARI@SD: Corbin goes scoreless in final start of 2018

Cashman: Yankees will try to trade Gray
Oct. 12: When the Yankees acquired Sonny Gray from the A's in July 2017, it wasn't just a short-term move. Gray is under team control through '19, and he was expected to be an important part of New York's rotation at least until the end of that season.

It hasn't worked out that way. After posting a 4.90 ERA over 30 appearances (23 starts) in 2018, Gray was left off the Yankees' American League Wild Card Game and ALDS rosters. And now, he may now be on his way out of town.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Friday that the club will try to trade Gray this offseason.

"It hasn't worked out thus far," Cashman said. "I think he's extremely talented. I think that we'll enter the winter, unfortunately, open-minded to a relocation. Probably, if he can maximize his abilities, it will more likely be best somewhere else. But then it comes down to the final decision of the price, in terms of trade acquisition and matching up with somebody. If we match up, then I think, yeah, it's probably best to try this somewhere else."

Although Gray's value is down, New York can sell the fact that the righty recorded a 3.17 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP and a 9.9 K/9 rate on the road (6.98 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, 6.8 K/9 rate at Yankee Stadium) as proof that he can still be a viable big league starter in a different environment.

Yankees expected to pursue Corbin
Oct. 11: The Yankees are expected to target left-hander Patrick Corbin in free agency this winter, according to a report from MLB Network Insider Jon Heyman on Thursday.

New York will be looking to bolster its starting rotation after a shaky playoff performance in its Division Series loss to the Red Sox -- Luis Severino, J.A. Happ and CC Sabathia all struggled.

Happ and Sabathia will both be free agents this offseason. The Yankees could try to re-sign one or both of the left-handers, per Heyman.

Corbin, 29, is coming off a career year with the D-backs. He made the National League All-Star team for the second time in his career and set career-best marks with a 3.15 ERA, 1.050 WHIP and 246 strikeouts in 33 starts. More >

Cardinals re-sign Wainwright for 2019
Oct. 11: The Cardinals' pitching staff next season will once again include Adam Wainwright. The longtime leader of the rotation agreed Thursday to a one-year contract for 2019, which will be his 15th season with the club.

The two sides ended any speculation about the right-hander's future when they announced the extension, which will follow a five-year, $97.5 million contract that expired with this season. Financial terms of Wainwright's next deal were not disclosed by the club.

Wainwright's return further fills a rotation teeming with options for 2019. The Cardinals have several other starters -- including Carlos Martinez, Miles Mikolas, Michael Wacha, Jack Flaherty, Alex Reyes, Luke Weaver, Austin Gomber, John Gant and Daniel Poncedeleon -- also under contract. More >

Bryant turns down $200 million extension
Oct. 10: The Cubs made an attempt to lock up Kris Bryant to a multiyear deal in the neighborhood of $200 million, but the superstar third baseman turned down the deal in recent months, a source confirmed to MLB.com on Wednesday. ESPN's Dave Kaplan was the first to report the offer and its rejection. The club has not confirmed such an offer.

Bryant and agent Scott Boras are inclined to proceed on a year-by-year salary increase through arbitration before Bryant becomes a free agent after the 2021 season. Bryant earned a record $10.85 million in 2018, the highest salary a player has earned in his first year of arbitration.

Should Bryant plan to wait out his final four years of club control and hit the free-agent market, the Cubs could face the possibility of losing him for nothing. In that context, Bryant might be a valuable trade commodity as a former National League MVP Award winner who is under club control for three more seasons. More >

Marlins deal Barraclough amid push for Mesa brothers
Oct. 10: The Marlins continue to build up more international dollars for their pursuit of Cuban prospects Victor Victor Mesa, Victor Mesa Jr. and Sandy Gaston.

On Wednesday, they traded right-hander Kyle Barraclough to the Nationals for an undisclosed amount of international bonus pool money. It was the Marlins' second trade in four days after dealing prospect Ryan Lillie to the Reds on Saturday, also for international pool money.

Before the two deals, the Marlins had $4.3 million in their international allotment, the second most of any team. Only the Orioles, at $6.7 million, have more. How much that gap has narrowed isn't yet known.

Victor Victor Mesa, 22, and Victor Jr., 18, are both outfielders. Gaston is a 16-year-old right-hander. Victor Victor Mesa is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the top international prospect on the market, and Gaston is ranked 16th. Major League Baseball recently cleared the three players as free agents, and on Friday they had a showcase in front of about 75 scouts at Marlins Park. More >

Game 3 of the National League Championship Series saw Brewers right-hander Jhoulys Chacin outduel Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, as Milwaukee claimed a pivotal 4-0 road win behind 5 1/3 scoreless innings from Chacin to take a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series. Orlando Arcia took Buehler deep for an opposite-field homer in the seventh to add two important insurance runs for the Crew.

The series continues tonight at 9:09 p.m. ET on FS1, with Rich Hill taking the mound for the Dodgers against Game 1 starter Gio Gonzalez for the Brewers. The AL Championship Series, currently tied 1-1, will continue with Game 3 at 5:09 p.m. ET on TBS, with Nathan Eovaldi and Dallas Keuchel set to duel at Minute Maid Park.

Here is a full breakdown of where things stand, with key dates for the LCS and World Series, as well as a complete breakdown of home-field advantage through the Fall Classic. 

• Bracket

NL Championship Series (2-3-2 format): Dodgers vs. Brewers (MIL leads, 2-1)
Game 4, tonight at 9:09 ET, FS1
Chacin pitched a tremendous game on Monday, striking out six in 5 1/3 scoreless innings and running into trouble only once, when he loaded the bases in the second inning before striking out Buehler to escape the jam. Corey Knebel, Joakim Soria and Josh Hader relieved Chacin before Jeremy Jeffress escaped a bases-loaded jam to close out the win for the Brewers, which ensured that, if the Dodgers were to come back in the series, they would be forced to clinch the series in Milwaukee.

Video: NLCS Gm3: Jeffress K's Dozier to seal Game 3 win

After waiting to announce his Game 4 starter until after he'd had a chance to see who he might need on Monday, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said after the win that Gonzalez will pitch on short rest tonight. Gonzalez made an abbreviated start in Game 1 at Miller Park, when he pitched two innings and allowed only a homer to Manny Machado before yielding to extended relief outings from Brandon Woodruff and Josh Hader. Woodruff was warming up during the Dodgers' ninth-inning rally on Monday but ultimately wasn't needed, while Hader will likely be available again after only needing eight pitches for two strikeouts on Monday.

The Dodgers, on the other hand, have had Rich Hill lined up as their Game 4 starter since the beginning of the series. Hill was wild in his NLDS Game 4 start in Atlanta, walking five in 4 1/3 innings, but limited the damage, holding the Braves to two runs in a 6-2 Dodgers victory. Hill has allowed one run in 11 innings with 14 strikeouts across two career NLCS starts and twice held the Brewers to one earned run in six innings this season.

Video: NLCS Gm3: Arcia cranks 2-run HR in 7th on FS1

The Brewers are in the playoffs for the first time since 2011, and this is their third trip to the LCS round. They defeated the Angels in five games in the 1982 ALCS, then lost to the Cardinals in six games in 2011. The Dodgers, meanwhile, have won six straight division crowns and advanced to the NLCS in all but two of those seasons. Last year, they beat the Cubs in five games before losing the World Series to the Astros. Two years ago, the Dodgers lost the NLCS to the eventual World Series champion Cubs.

AL Championship Series (2-3-2 format): Red Sox vs. Astros (series tied, 1-1)
Game 3, today at 5:09 ET on TBS
With the series tied at one game apiece following Boston's victory Sunday night, the ALCS will resume today in Houston. Keuchel, a former AL Cy Young Award winner, will start for the Astros, and the Red Sox will counter with Eovaldi.

Video: ALCS Gm2: Bradley Jr. clears bases with double

Keuchel started ALDS Game 3 against the Indians, allowing two runs over five innings in Houston's series-clinching 11-3 victory in Cleveland. His regular season was solid, though not as strong as his 2017 campaign; he went 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA over 34 starts. He faced Boston once during the regular season, giving up five runs in six innings in a 6-5 Astros loss at Fenway Park on Sept. 9. He beat the Red Sox in Game 2 of last year's AL Division Series, yielding one run on three hits over 5 2/3 innings at Minute Maid Park. In nine career postseason appearances (eight starts), Keuchel is 4-2 with a 3.28 ERA.

Eovaldi was brilliant over seven innings in ALDS Game 3, giving up one run on five hits while walking none and striking out five during Boston's 16-1 victory over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. It was the 28-year-old right-hander's first career postseason outing. He was also very good over his final 12 outings (11 starts) of the regular season after being traded from the Rays to the Red Sox, posting a 3.33 ERA. A Houston native, Eovaldi faced the Astros once during the regular season, surrendering four runs on seven hits over six innings in a June 20 loss at Minute Maid Park.

Video: ALCS Gm2: Betts drills an RBI double on TBS

This year's ALCS is a rematch of last year's ALDS, which Houston won in four games en route to the franchise's first title. Home-field advantage in this best-of-seven series (Games 1-2 and 6-7) goes to the Division Series winner with the higher regular-season winning percentage, but never a Wild Card team. That's the Red Sox, who won an MLB-best 108 games in the regular season.

The Astros, who swept the Indians in the ALDS, are the first AL team since the 2010 Yankees to make it back to the LCS in the year following a World Series title. The Red Sox are back in the ALCS for the first time since their 2013 title run. They lost in the ALDS in each of the last two seasons.

This series marks a reunion for Boston manager Alex Cora, who was the Astros bench coach when they knocked out the Red Sox in the playoffs last season en route to the World Series. Houston won the season series between these clubs, 4-3.

World Series presented by YouTube TV (2-3-2 format)
Game 1 is Tuesday, Oct. 23 on FOX (time TBD)
Home-field advantage in the World Series is no longer based on the result of the All-Star Game. Home field (Games 1-2 and 6-7) in this best-of-seven series will go to the team with the higher regular-season winning percentage, regardless of whether the team is a Wild Card winner or a Division Series winner.

Both the Red Sox and Astros finished with better records than the Brewers and Dodgers, so home-field in the Fall Classic is guaranteed to go to the AL club. 

If the two pennant winners go into the Fall Classic with identical regular-season records, the first tiebreaker will be head-to-head record in the regular season. If the teams did not play during the season during Interleague Play, the tiebreaker would go to the team with the better overall record against teams in its own division. If that were also a tie, the tiebreaker would be intraleague records (the NL club's record vs. NL teams and the AL team's record vs. AL teams).

Below are the World Series home-field advantage seedings, which are based on the regular 162-game schedule and do not factor in the two tiebreaker games played in the NL (aka Game 163).

1. Red Sox (108-54)
2. Astros (103-59)
3. Brewers (96-67)
4. Dodgers (92-71)

LOS ANGELES -- Dave Roberts wasted no time late Monday night. Yasmani Grandal is back on the bench for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series tonight, following another rough performance behind the plate in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium.

Dodgers fans expressed their frustrations, booing Grandal after he could not block a wild pitch in the sixth inning that allowed the Brewers' second run in a 4-0 victory that gave Milwaukee a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. That run was set up by another defensive misplay when center fielder Cody Bellinger appeared to misread Travis Shaw's deep drive, allowing Shaw to motor all the way to third with a triple.

NLCS presented by Google Assistant, Game 4: Tonight, 9:09 p.m. ET/6:09 p.m. PT on FS1

:: NLCS schedule and results ::

Grandal allowed a passed ball in the eighth inning, too. He allowed two passed balls and committed two errors in a one-run loss in Game 1 at Miller Park.

"I think it's driving you guys more nuts than me," Grandal said. "I blocked eight balls in the dirt today. I mean, the one ball that kicks off the plate, we had a man on third, it still hits me in a good spot. It just happened to be one of those plays where as the ball is coming down, it's picking up speed and it hits the back of the plate, and picks up even more speed. I think any baseball person understands what it is to be able to block a ball like that. The way I see it is overall, I was pretty good. I don't really hear the noise outside. I value my opinion way over everybody else. That's what keeps me sane."

Dodgers teammate Enrique Hernandez took more offense to the boos than Grandal.

"It sucks," he said. "Obviously as a teammate, as a competitor, you know that he's doing everything he can. He's not trying to have a hard time behind home plate or anything. But it sucks that there's nothing going on in the stands since the first inning when [Ryan Braun] hit that double, the stadium kind of went quiet for the rest of the evening. It sucks that they got loud just to show off Yasmani. It's a shame. He's trying his best.

"You know, it's the playoffs, it's the big leagues, if they think that they can do it, go ahead. Put on your gear and go catch 99 [mph] with breaking balls that have a lot of movement. He's been one of the best catchers in the game for a while now. He's having a little bit of a rough patch, which we all as humans, as baseball players go through. It's just bad timing."

Shaw's triple came with two out and none on in the sixth to set up the wild pitch. Bellinger ran 94 feet in pursuit, but he slowed as he approached the warning track. He then suddenly sped up and slammed into the wall.

Video: NLCS Gm3: Shaw smacks 2-out triple off wall in 6th

Bellinger's contact with the wall and the ball's ricochet helped Shaw to his first triple since April 11, 2017.

"Yeah, he hit it and I kind of lost it for a quick second, and then picked it right back up," Bellinger said. "I don't know. I just missed it."

It would have been an extremely tough ball for Bellinger to catch, but it seems likely that if he'd had a better read, he might have been able to hold Shaw to a double. And had Shaw been on second, he would not have scored on the ensuing at-bat.

Video: Must C Crucial: Shaw triples, scores on wild pitch

Instead, two pitches later, Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler spiked a 1-0 curveball to Jesus Aguilar. Grandal could not block it. He said after Game 1 that he was flat-footed behind the plate. He said that was not the issue on Monday.

"The curveball was in front of me," he said. "I have no problems."

LOS ANGELES -- When the Brewers last played a baseball game at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers put up a football score. They set a stadium record with 21 runs on Aug. 2, largely at Jhoulys Chacin's expense in a game so lopsided that Milwaukee sent not one but two position players to the mound.

"I know people might talk a lot about that," Chacin said with a shrug before taking the mound Monday with much higher stakes.

• NLCS presented by Google Assistant, Game 4: Tonight, 9:09 p.m. ET/8:09 CT on FS1

This time, the Brewers' steadiest starting pitcher all season gave the people something else to talk about -- and so did manager Craig Counsell, who sent Jeremy Jeffress back to the mound to acquire the final three outs with another wobbly postseason performance. Chacin delivered a shutout into the sixth inning and Jeffress escaped a ninth-inning scare to finish it -- a 4-0 win that put Milwaukee back on top in the National League Championship Series, two games to one.

:: NLCS schedule and results ::

"I've been ready for this for almost 10 years," said Chacin, the 30-year-old onetime journeyman who parlayed a solid season in San Diego into a two-year deal with the Brewers, then became their de facto ace. "Now I am just enjoying this part of my career, enjoying pitching in the playoffs, and with a really good team. And hopefully I get a chance to be in the World Series."

Don't look now, but a team that allegedly doesn't have enough starting pitching is two victories shy of the World Series -- in no small part because of strong starting pitching. Including Chacin's 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Dodgers, Milwaukee's starters -- "initial out-getters" is more accurate, since Counsell has blurred the lines of pitching roles for going on a month now -- have a 0.35 ERA through six postseason games.

The offense once again came from all corners of the lineup. Ryan Braun doubled home a run in the first inning, Travis Shaw smashed a triple into the wind and scored on a wild pitch in the sixth, and surprise October slugger Orlando Arcia hit a fly ball in the seventh that rode that wind to the right-field seats for a two-run home run, his third long ball of the postseason.

Meanwhile, Chacin teamed with Corey Knebel, Joakim Soria, Josh Hader and Jeffress on a five-hit shutout in which none of the relievers threw more than 21 pitches. That sets up well for the next two games in as many days.

The effort also handed the Dodgers their first shutout at home in the postseason since Game 1 of the 1983 NLCS against the Phillies.

Video: NLCS Gm3: Chacin, 'pen pitch Brewers to shutout win

"Our guys that we're giving the ball to at the start of the game, they're doing a heck of a job, man," said Counsell. "They're setting the tone, really, for games. They're putting us in a very advantageous position to use our guys in the bullpen. And that's going to lead to wins."

Three of the Brewers' five wins in these playoffs have been shutouts, though this one didn't come easily. Jeffress, who entered the night with a 7.71 ERA in the postseason, surrendered a leadoff single to Dodgers Game 2 hero Justin Turner to open the ninth before Manny Machado doubled and Yasiel Puig walked one out later.

But Jeffress escaped, striking out struggling Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal and pinch-hitter Brian Dozier to push the Brewers within two victories of the World Series.

"I've said it all year: I strive for those moments," Jeffress said. "That's like an extra adrenaline rush. I didn't really want it to get like that, but when those times come, you just have to stay within yourself and continue to be the pitcher you are."

• Jeffress closes out LA, rewards Crew's faith

Video: NLCS Gm3: Jeffress K's Dozier to seal Game 3 win

In the history of best-of-seven series with the 2-3-2 format, teams that win Game 3 on the road to grab a 2-1 advantage have gone on to take the series 27 of 36 times (75 percent).

But that history lesson was just the start of why Game 3 had the potential to pivot the series. After Milwaukee's stout bullpen squandered a three-run lead with nine outs to go in Game 2, the Brewers sent Chacin to the mound opposite talented Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler. They were eager to take a game ahead of a possible bullpen day started by Gio Gonzalez in Game 4, with left-hander Wade Miley scheduled to pitch on short rest in Game 5.

• Crew tabs Miley for Game 5; Gio for Game 4

That left a lot on Chacin's shoulders, and he carried the load. With his sensational slider providing the punchout pitch for five of his six strikeouts, the right-hander blanked L.A. on three hits, yielding to the bullpen with one out in the sixth after third baseman Mike Moustakas' throwing error put a runner in scoring position with less than two outs for the second straight inning.

The bullpen took it from there.

"It doesn't matter who is the hero, if it's going to be Orlando or Braun or the bullpen," Chacin said. "It doesn't matter who does the job; if we do the job and win the game, that's all that matters."

Video: NLCS Gm3: Counsell on trusting Jeffress in the 9th

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Orlando magic: Arcia has three home runs in the Brewers' last 28 innings, matching his total from 348 at-bats during a regular season in which he was twice demoted to the Minor Leagues to work on his hitting. He joined Roberto Perez (2016) and Willie Randolph (1981) as the only players in history to follow a regular season of three or fewer home runs with three or more in the playoffs.

"Every player is going to have their ups and downs, and this year was definitely a lot of downs for me, and things weren't going my way so they sent me down," Arcia said. "I was able to work on stuff, recognize pitches, and especially breaking balls. And now I do my adjustments and things have been working better. Now we're up here in the playoffs."

• Arcia boosts Crew with 3rd postseason HR

Video: NLCS Gm3: Arcia cranks 2-run HR in 7th on FS1

Caught looking: The Dodgers' best chance for a big inning against Chacin came in the second, when Puig's double put runners at second and third with one out for Grandal, who struck out on an elevated four-seam fastball. Chacin's emotional reaction showed the importance of that out; it allowed him to intentionally walk Enrique Hernandez to get to Buehler in the nine-hole. The Dodgers' pitcher fouled off one two-strike slider and looked at another just below the zone, but Chacin threw the pitch again and got the called third strike he was seeking.

Because of Chacin's ability to alter the shape and velocity of his slider, veteran catcher Erik Kratz isn't exactly sure what he's going to get when he calls for it.

"You call it, and he's got about four," Kratz said with a laugh.

Video: NLCS Gm3: Chacin K's a pair to escape huge jam in 2nd

Stranded: Chacin stranded a runner at second base with a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning, then combined with reliever Knebel to do it again with a 2-0 lead in the sixth after Moustakas' throwing error. Naturally, the very next ball in play was a 110.5-mph grounder right at the third baseman Moustakas, who converted this time. Knebel then fired a 97-mph fastball past Cody Bellinger to end the inning.

Video: NLCS Gm3: Knebel K's Dodgers with 4 high heaters

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Braun, the Los Angeles native and the only player remaining from Milwaukee's last postseason team in 2011, provided an early Brewers lead when he followed Christian Yelich's walk with a double to left field that left Braun's bat at 112.9 mph, according to Statcast™, matching the second-highest exit velocity for any of his base hits in 2018. Yelich moved fast, too, posting an elite 30 feet per second sprint speed while going first to home in 9.87 seconds for a 1-0 advantage.

Video: NLCS Gm3: Yelich sprints home on Braun's double

HE SAID IT
"In that sixth inning, we're there on the mound together, with [Chacin's] years bouncing around from team to team, got a nice contract this offseason; and somehow I come from Scranton, Pa., to be on the mound with him. I have so many stories like that. We're so intertwined. … In this moment, you don't sit back and think about it, but in November and December when it's snowing and there's football on, that's when you think about that kind of stuff. If you don't I think you're selling yourself short in the experience." -- Kratz, reflecting on the winding road he and Chacin took to the 2018 Brewers

MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
The Brewers benefited from the "Chase Utley" slide rule to escape a budding Dodgers rally in the fourth. Bellinger grounded into a 3-6 force play with no outs, with Machado out at second. But the Brewers challenged, arguing that Machado had violated the slide rule. Machado raised his arm as he slid into Brewers shortstop Arcia, whose throw to first was too late for a double play. Machado also slid to the left of the bag and didn't maintain contact, which a runner must attempt to do by rule. The Brewers' hunch paid off. The replay official in New York determined that Machado did not engage in a bona fide slide and impeded Arcia with his arm. It resulted in a double play. A groundout by Puig to a diving Moustakas ended the inning one batter later.

It was the second time the Brewers questioned a Machado slide into Arcia.

"On the first one, I didn't think there was anything wrong. On the second one, definitely felt a little more," Arcia said. "He grabbed my knee towards the end, and that's when I turned around and said something to the umpire."

Video: NLCS Gm3: Brewers turn double play on overturned call