Early game: Rangers at Jays, 12:30PM PT, TV: FS1
Texas asks Yovani Gallardo (13-11, 3.42 ERA) to start its first post-season game in three years. He’ll face the Blue Jays’ David Price (18-5, 2.45 ERA and an even more brilliant 9-1, 2.30 ERA since becoming a Jay mid-season).
Both these teams are hot. The Blue Jays went 40-18 (.690) over the final two months; the Rangers went 38-22 (.633) over the same period.
Is history any guide?
Toronto won each of its two three-game series against Texas this year, leading to a 4-2 advantage in the overall season series. The teams last matched up Aug. 25-27 in Texas, where Toronto won the first two games and lost the finale.
Late game: Astros at Royals, 4:30PM PT, TV: FS1
The Astros send out Collin McHugh, (19-7, 3.89 ERA, and who knew the Astros had a 19-game winner?) to face the Royals’ Yordano Ventura (13-8, 4.08 ERA). That record’s a little misleading: Ventura was sent to the minors in July and almost instantly recalled as an injury replacement; since that time he’s gone 9-1 with a 3.10 ERA.
The bottom-line offensive production of these two teams was virtually identical over 162 games. The Royals played in the tougher hitter’s park, but still it can’t get much closer than this. The Astros were sixth in the Majors in runs scored with 4.50 per game, while the Royals were seventh with an average of 4.47.
Vin with a medical procedure which will keep him from announcing during the playoffs. Hope for a quick and full recovery.
Link to the details in the Pre-Playoff Palaver thread.
Prepare to be Steinered nightly.
Put a lazy boy recliner in the press box and let Vin watch the Dodgers win the World Series.
Getting fired up……………………………… !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hard to watch games with a DH.