My World Series Thoughts/Why is Chris Sale not starting Game 5 tonight?

Chris Sale (boston.cbslocal.com)

There are only three reasons Boston Red Sox left-handed starting pitcher Chris Sale is not starting tonight (Sunday).

So why isn't he starting tonight?

1. If necessary, Games 6 and 7 are in Boston. Maybe Chris Sale pitches better at home.

2. He yelled at his teammates in the dugout during last night's game to get the offense going and score some runs. Maybe the Red Sox need him in the dugout to be the player who is the motivational leader, vocal yeller and the person who holds people accountable.

3. David Price's night is tonight. This is his time to win the World Series and perhaps World Series MVP. Price is the first Red Sox left-handed starting pitcher to start a second World Series game in 2018.

That is just three reasons, but I'm sure there are many more.

The Boston Red Sox lead the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers three games to one. Game 5 is tonight in Los Angeles. First pitch is at 8:15 p.m. ET and is televised on FOX.

Left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw is starting for the Dodgers tonight.

So who are the pitching MVP's for each team?

For the Red Sox those pitchers are Joe Kelly, David Price, Rick Porcello, Nathan Eovaldi, Eduardo Rodriguez and Craig Kimbrel.

The pitching MVP's for the Dodgers are Walker Buehler, Pedro Baez, Julio Urias, and Rich Hill.

I chose the pitchers above because they haven't given up a lot of runs.

What about the offensive MVP's for each team?

Red Sox: Andrew Benintendi, Steve Pearce, Mookie Betts and Brock Holt. If the Red Sox win tonight, the guy who hits the most meaningful home run among these players might win MVP. That could be the game winning home run or it could be a multi-RBI home run.

Mitch Moreland, Eduardo Nunez, Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez also have a good chance to win World Series MVP.

Dodgers: Max Muncy, Yasiel Puig, Manny Machado and Justin Turner.

Walker Buehler and Max Muncy are clearly the Dodgers World Series MVP's at this point.

Enrique "Kike" Hernandez, Brian Dozier and Matt Kemp are the secondary group of Dodgers' offensive MVP's.