Rotoworld MLB Daily Dose: Friday 10/21/2016

[Rotoworld.com Fantasy Baseball] Rotoworld.com has all the tools you need to win your fantasy Baseball league. [Check out Rotoworld.com Season Pass] To read this article on Rotoworld.com [click here] [Player News] | [Columns] | [Injuries] | [Transactions] | [Depth Charts] | [Scoreboard] | [Tickets] Daily Dose: Cubs One Win Away - 10/21/2016 BY D.J. Short [Ever Wonder? By NBCSports] LATEST FANTASY BASEBALL HEADLINES [- Lester goes seven IP as Cubs win NLCS Gm 5] [- Javy Baez hits bases-clearing double in win] [- Russell homers in second straight game] [- Strasburg expected to have normal winter] [- Boras says Harper is feeling fine physically] [- Bauer (finger) expects to be ready for the WS] [- Rizzo homers as Cubs offense lurches to life] Follow [@djshort] and [@Rotoworld_BB] on Twitter. The Cubs are just one win away from their first trip to the World Series since 1945. [Jon Lester] spun seven innings of one-run ball and Chicago’s offense feasted on the Dodgers’ bullpen as part of an 8-4 victory in Game 5 of the NLCS on Thursday in Los Angeles. The Cubs now own a 3-2 advantage in the series. The Cubs got on the board in the first inning with an RBI double off the bat of the suddenly-hot [Anthony Rizzo], but [Kenta Maeda] managed to limit further damage by striking out [Javier Baez] and [Jason Heyward]. The Dodgers evened things up in the fourth inning after [Howie Kendrick] reached on a one-out double and stole third base before [Adrian Gonzalez] brought him home on a ground out. The Cubs pulled away for good in the sixth inning. [Javier Baez] led off the frame with a single against [Joe Blanton] and two batters later, [Addison Russell] connected for a two-run blast to distant center field. The young shortstop was 1-for-24 through his first seven games this postseason, but he has now homered in back-to-back games. The Dodgers tried to rattle Lester for his well-documented throwing issues, but it wasn’t all that effective. The veteran southpaw gave up just five hits (four of them singles) and one walk while striking out six. Lester now owns a 0.86 ERA and 14/2 K/BB ratio in 21 innings through his three starts this postseason. Any semblance of a compelling game faded away in the eighth inning as [Pedro Baez] labored by allowing two runs before getting pulled with the bases loaded. [Javier Baez] then cashed in with a bases-clearing double off [Ross Stripling] to put the game out of reach. The Dodgers plated two runs against [Aroldis Chapman] in the bottom of the ninth inning, but they had just too big of a hole to dig out of here. After being shut out in back-to-back games by [Clayton Kershaw] and [Rich Hill], the Cubs have scored 18 runs over their last two games. The Cubs will attempt to wrap up the pennant in Chicago on Saturday when they send [Kyle Hendricks] to the hill for Game 6. The Dodgers will have their ace [Clayton Kershaw] going on five days’ rest as they attempt to keep their season alive. It should be quite a scene. Boras Provides Updates on Harper, Strasburg The Nationals are coming off another disappointing exit from the NLDS, but at least things are looking up in regard to two of their most important players. According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, agent Scott Boras said Thursday that outfielder [Bryce Harper] is “doing fine physically” and will soon begin his normal offseason strength and conditioning. Meanwhile, right-hander [Stephen Strasburg] is expected to have a normal throwing schedule this offseason in preparation for spring training. Harper won the National League MVP Award last season, but he dropped off significantly this year by batting .243/.373/.441 with 24 homers and 86 RBI over 147 games. He missed five games in August with a neck issue, but Tom Verducci of SI.com reported that he was also playing through a shoulder injury. While the Nationals issued multiple denials about the unspecified shoulder issue, Harper never shot down the report. It’s hard to evaluate his season without keeping the injuries in mind. All indications are that Harper should be fine with some extended rest, but he still figures to be the most polarizing player in fantasy drafts next spring. We all know what the potential upside could be if he’s feeling right, so it's just a matter of how much you are willing to roll the dice. As for Strasburg, he suffered a partial tear of his pronator tendon on September 7 and received a platelet-rich plasma injection in the elbow to help with the healing process. He advanced to the point of throwing two bullpen sessions this month, but he was always a long shot to contribute even if the Nationals made a deeper run in the playoffs. Like Harper, the belief is that Strasburg will benefit with extended rest over the winter. Strasburg was enjoying the best season of his career through August 1, putting up a 2.63 ERA and 161/38 K/BB ratio in 133 2/3 innings while going 15-1. The wheels came off quickly from there, as he lost each of his next three starts while being rocked to the tune of 19 runs over 11 2/3 innings. He lasted just 2 1/3 innings in his return on September 7 before leaving again due to injury. He ultimately finished with a career-high 3.60 ERA. The rough finish and the elbow issue will certainly cloud Strasburg’s outlook going into 2017, but fortunately most fantasy owners will be able to track how he’s feeling in spring training before making a final determination about where to draft him. Quick Hits: [Lorenzo Cain] won’t require surgery on his left wrist … After suffering a seizure and a collapsed lung during a colonoscopy, Braves left-hander [Matt Marksberry] was reportedly waking up from a medically-induced coma Thursday at an Orlando area hospital … [Brad Brach] underwent a minor surgery on his left knee last week … The Nationals announced Thursday that [Dusty Baker]’s entire coaching staff will return for 2017 … The Mariners have added Scott Brosius to their staff for 2017 as an assistant coach … Rotoworld.com © 2016 You received this newsletter because you are a registered subscriber of Rotoworld.com's Daily Dose. To unsubscribe, or to update your preferences, [click here.] Please DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE. For all inquiries, please [click here]. If you are having problems contacting us, send a letter c/o Webmaster to 1 Blachley Road Stamford, CT 06902.