(The Sports Xchange) – The Boston Red Sox fired manager John Farrell on Wednesday, two days after his team was eliminated from the playoffs.

Farrell, who managed the Red Sox since 2013, will not return for the 2018 season, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced. The team said a search for a new manager will begin immediately.

“I thought it was the appropriate time to make a change for the betterment of the organization moving forward,” Dombrowski said at a news conference.

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The Washington Nationals started right-hander Stephen Strasburg in Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs.

Nationals manager Dusty Baker said Tuesday night that Strasburg was too ill to start Wednesday’s game before the dramatic reversal by the team.

The Nationals made the move official a few hours before 3:08 p.m. CT starting time.

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Cleveland Indians designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion returned to the lineup for Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field.

Encarnacion has been sidelined for the last two contests with a sprained ankle that was sustained in the first inning of Game 2. The 34-year-old Dominican was injured when he jammed his foot into second base while trying to get back to the bag in time to avoid a double play.