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HOUSTON — The New York Yankees made several changes as they announced their 26-man roster for the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.

The No. 1-seeded Astros, on the other hand, made only one addition, with both teams going with an even split between pitchers and position players with 13 apiece.

The Yankees chose to include one more pitcher for the best-of-seven ALCS, one less than they had for the division series against Cleveland in which they got past the Guardians in five games.

Trade-deadline acquisition Frankie Montas, who has been on the injured list since mid-September after receiving a cortisone shot to treat right shoulder inflammation, was included on the 13-man pitching staff. Montas did not pitch to expectations after being acquired by the Yankees before the Aug. 2 trade deadline, going 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts.

The Yankees are counting on Montas’ vast experience against the Astros, with the 29-year-old pitching the last six seasons with the Oakland Athletics. Montas is 8-5 with a 3.40 ERA in 15 career games against Houston (13 starts), including a 3-2 record and 3.86 ERA in six career games at Minute Maid Park.

The Yankees also opted to leave out long man Lucas Luetge, who did not pitch in the divisional round against Cleveland despite having been included in the active roster. The club went instead with rookie pitcher Greg Weissert, with fellow rookie reliever Ron Marinaccio not medically cleared after having to deal with a lingering shin injury.

Veteran utility man Marwin Gonzalez, who only saw limited action in the previous round, was also left off the AL Championship Series roster, as well as versatile infielder DJ LeMahieu.

LeMahieu has not been able to play in any postseason games because of a right foot injury that landed him on the injured list back in September. LeMahieu was hopeful that he would be able to be activated after doing baseball activities while rehabbing and taking batting practice the last few weeks, but the Yankees chose to go with rookie Oswald Peraza as a healthier reserve option.

The rookie Peraza, who plays most infield positions but is a natural shortstop, was a spark plug for the Yankees as they struggled down the stretch, hitting .306/.404/.429 over 18 games since making his MLB debut Sept. 2.

With Peraza on the roster, it is likely that fellow Venezuelan rookie Oswaldo Cabrera will now mostly be relegated to the outfield since the Yankees did not include an additional player to replace left fielder Aaron Hicks. Hicks’ season came to an end after suffering a left knee injury in Game 5 of the division series against the Guardians after a collision in shallow left field with Cabrera, who started Game 5 of the division series at Yankee Stadium at shortstop.

Pinch-running specialist Tim Locastro made the roster once again, and will be an option in the outfield after playing 26 games in the outfield this regular season, mostly as a defensive replacement. Cabrera has also played 37 games in the outfield, including three this postseason.

And Matt Carpenter, who made the ALCS roster after being activated for the ALDS after being out with a foot fracture since Aug. 8, will also be an option, having had 15 outfield appearances for the Yankees. Carpenter, who has been limited to a lefty bat off the bench, has said that he feels healthy and that playing the outfield could be an option for him.

The Astros mostly kept the same roster they used for the division series against Seattle, where they swept the Mariners in three games. The only change in Dusty Baker’s roster was the inclusion of one more pitcher for the longer series — Seth Martinez — leaving out outfielder Jake Myers.

The Astros will face a right-handed-heavy lineup in this series against New York, and Martinez, who made his first career postseason roster, finished the 2022 regular season with a 2.09 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 28⅔ innings pitched, holding opponents to a .187 batting average, and right-handed hitters to a .135 BA.

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Cubs blow lead in 10-run 8th, storm back in thriller

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Cubs blow lead in 10-run 8th, storm back in thriller

CHICAGO — Kyle Tucker had the fans on their feet, roaring and pumping their fists as he rounded the bases after hitting the go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning. His screaming line drive cleared the right-field wall with plenty of room to spare.

The Chicago Cubs went from giving up 10 runs in the eighth to scoring six in the bottom half and beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 13-11 on Friday in one of the wildest games on record.

The two teams combined for 21 runs in the seventh and eighth innings, with the Cubs scoring 11 runs and the D-backs plating 10. It was the first nine-inning game in MLB history in which both teams scored 10 or more runs from the seventh inning on, and the third game overall, according to ESPN Research.

“That’s kind of baseball,” Tucker said. “There’s a lot of ups and downs in this game, especially with how many games we play.”

There haven’t been many games like this, though.

The Cubs are just the seventh team in at least the past 125 seasons to allow 10 or more runs in an inning and win. They are also the fifth team to give up 10 or more runs and score six or more in the same inning.

The 16 combined runs in the eighth were the most in an inning at Wrigley Field, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“If you’ve seen that one, you’ve been around for a while,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said with a laugh. “It was crazy. You know, we gave up 10 runs in an inning and we won. So it was a wild game, but we kept going, and, you know, there’s 27 outs in a game and this kind of proves it, and you’re just happy to get out with a win.”

On a warm day with the ball carrying, Carson Kelly homered twice. Ian Happ belted a grand slam and Seiya Suzuki went deep, helping the Cubs open a weekend series on a winning note.

“You’ve seen it early — having some tough losses, coming back winning the next day,” Happ said. “Losing the first game of the series, winning the series. Little things like that. Today’s a great example of professional hitters going out there and continuing to have really good at-bats.”

The way things transpired in the final two innings was something to see.

Kelly hit a two-run homer in the second against Corbin Burnes, and Happ came through with his grand slam against Ryne Nelson as part of a five-run seventh. But just when it looked as if the Cubs were in control with a 7-1 lead, things took a wild turn in the eighth.

Eugenio Suarez cut it to 7-5 with a grand slam against Porter Hodge, Geraldo Perdomo singled in a run and Randal Grichuk put Arizona on top by one with a two-run double. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a three-run homer, making it 11-7.

The crowd of more than 39,000 let the Cubs hear it, but their team regrouped in the bottom half. Bryce Jarvis hit Nico Hoerner leading off and walked Pete Crow-Armstrong before Kelly drove a three-run homer to center. Tucker, the Cubs’ prized offseason addition, came through after Happ singled with one out. Suzuki followed with his drive against Joe Mantiply to give the Cubs a 13-11 lead.

Arizona, which had won five straight, became just the third team over the past 50 seasons to lose a game in which it had a 10-run inning at any point, according to ESPN Research.

“You just got to stay locked in,” Kelly said. “Obviously, you don’t want to … give up 10 in an inning. Obviously, you don’t want to do that. I think the biggest thing is coming back, regrouping and continuing to fight.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chisholm suspended 1 game for conduct, tweet

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Chisholm suspended 1 game for conduct, tweet

Major League Baseball suspended New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. for one game and fined him an undisclosed amount, the result of his actions during Thursday night’s win against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Chisholm was ejected in the seventh inning by plate umpire John Bacon for arguing after a called third strike on a full-count pitch from Mason Montgomery that appeared low.

Minutes later, he posted on his X account, “Not even f—ing close!!!!!” then deleted the post.

“I didn’t think before I had anything that I said was ejectable but after probably,” Chisholm said after the game. “I’m a competitor, so when I go out there and I feel like I’m right and you’re saying something to me that I think doesn’t make sense, I’m going to get fired up and be upset.

“I lost my emotions. I lost my cool. I got to be better than that. … I’m definitely mad at myself for losing my cool.”

Michael Hill, the league’s senior vice president for on-field operations, said Friday’s discipline was for Chisholm’s “conduct, including his violation of Major League Baseball’s Social Media Policy for Major League Players.”

MLB regulations ban the use of electronic devices during games. The social media policy prohibits “displaying or transmitting content that questions the impartiality of or otherwise denigrates a major league umpire.”

Chisholm did appeal the decision, allowing him to play in Friday night’s 1-0 win against the Rays. He started at second base and went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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First-time father-to-be Ohtani away from Dodgers

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First-time father-to-be Ohtani away from Dodgers

ARLINGTON, Texas — Shohei Ohtani is away from the Los Angeles Dodgers for the birth of the two-way superstar’s first child.

Manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers’ series opener Friday night against the Rangers that Ohtani was with his wife and going on MLB’s paternity list.

“He and Mamiko are expecting at some point. That’s all I know,” Roberts said. “I don’t know when he’s going to come back and I don’t know when they’re going to have the baby, but obviously they’re together in anticipation.”

The 30-year-old Ohtani posted on his Instagram account in late December that he and his 28-year-old wife, a former professional basketball player from his native Japan, were expecting a baby in 2025.

“Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!” said the Dec. 28 post that included a photo showing the couple’s beloved dog, Decoy, as well as a pink ruffled onesie along with baby shoes and a sonogram that was covered by a baby emoji.

Ohtani can miss up to three games while on paternity leave. The Dodgers have a three-game series in Texas before an off day Monday, then play the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday.

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