CHICAGO — The World Series perhaps finalized in the trade deadline war room of the Yankees is now set.
Andrew Miller’s Indians versus Aroldis Chapman’s Cubs.
The late-game relievers dealt by the Yankees were the finishing pieces to league champions and now they will face each other, beginning Tuesday in Cleveland.
Chapman smiled when asked about meeting his old teammate, saying, “Oh yeah, I am ready to go.”
Chapman is now linked to Paul Erickson, who earned the save in the first game of a double-header against the Pirates on Sept. 29, 1945. That clinched the NL pennant for the Cubs (remember there were no rounds of playoffs then). Chapman is now the first Cub to throw the final pitch to clinch an NL title since then.
And Chapman wasn’t even sure he was going to pitch. He said he certainly did not think he would get in during the eighth inning, considering that starter Kyle Hendricks was one-hitting the Dodgers. But when Josh Reddick singled with one out, Joe Maddon elicited boos for removing Hendricks.
Chapman has had a couple of rough eighth innings in this postseason. But he got ahead of Howie Kendrick 0-2 and induced an inning-ending double play.
“No stress, no nerves, just confidence,” Chapman said.
He returned to the mound in the ninth to protect a 5-0 lead and issued a one-out walk. But he provoked one last double play, this one by Yasiel Puig and when the ball struck Anthony Rizzo’s glove at first base, the Cubs were NL champs for the first time since 1945.
“I was very fortunate and blessed that I was the man to bring this team back to the World Series,” Chapman said.