Edwin in lineup for Game 2; Royals stand pat
Blue Jays slugger's status had been uncertain after early exit from opener
Edwin Encarnacion was back in the Blue Jays' starting lineup for Game 2 of the American League Championship Series on Saturday, despite a sprained ligament in his left middle finger that forced him to be removed from Friday's 5-0 loss to the Royals. He will DH and bat fourth.
"He's a huge part of our lineup," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "He's battled this on and off. The day off [Sunday] might do him some good, but we need him, so he's in there. He'll battle through it."
:: ALCS: Blue Jays vs. Royals-- Tune-in info ::
Russell Martin will hit seventh and play catcher, marking the only change in Toronto's starting nine. The comes as no surprise, after Dioner Navarro -- who works well with Game 1 starter Marco Estrada -- got the nod behind the plate on Friday.
AL Cy Young Award candidate David Price is on the hill for Game 2. Here's Toronto's lineup in full:
1. Ben Revere, LF
2. Josh Donaldson, 3B
3. Jose Bautista, RF
4. Encarnacion, DH
5. Chris Colabello, 1B
6. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
7. Martin, C
8. Kevin Pillar, CF
9. Ryan Goins, 2B
• Dress for October at the MLB.com Shop
Yost sticks with a good thing
Royals skipper Ned Yost didn't make any changes Saturday to the starting lineup that paced Kansas City to a 5-0 victory in Game 1 of the ALCS on Friday night.
Against one of the toughest left-handers in the game -- Toronto's David Price -- Yost kept the lefty-hitting Eric Hosmer in the cleanup spot and Alex Gordon at No. 8.
Neither Gordon (3-for-14) nor Hosmer (2-for-11) has had much success against Price, but a few Royals starters have. Alex Rios owns a .400/.455/.800 slash line in 33 career plate appearances vs. Price. He'll bat ninth. No. 3 hitter Lorenzo Cain, meanwhile, is 4-for-11 with a homer vs. the Blue Jays' southpaw starter.
Shortstop Alcides Escobar will be starting his 21st consecutive postseason game out of the leadoff spot. He's 8-for-24 this year with four extra-base hits and has scored five times.
Right-hander Yordano Ventura starts for Kansas City. Here's the lineup in full:
1. Escobar, SS
2. Ben Zobrist, 2B
3. Cain, CF
4. Hosmer, 1B
5. Kendrys Morales, DH
6. Mike Moustakas, 3B
7. Salvador Perez, C
8. Gordon, LF
9. Rios, RF