“I guess for me it’s time to rest now, but I wanted to keep going obviously”. “It does. Regular season doesn’t matter now”. All of that essentially becomes irrelevant now. Five of the 10 won it all.
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On the Yankees side of the Wild Card, this is their first playoff appearance since they were swept by the Detroit Tigers in the 2013 ALCS. The Houston Astros, who visit New York for the AL wild-card game on Tuesday, squandered a chance to earn homefield advantage in the contest with a loss on Sunday but have things lined up to start their ace against the Yankees.
And just like the wild-card game, this series features two Central Division teams. So, to say the implications are huge would be an understatement.
Offensively, both of these teams can produce a few serious pop from their lineup.
After all, they’ve worked extremely hard throughout a rigorous, exercising 162-game season.
The NL Division Series begins Friday with the New York Mets at the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cubs-Pirates victor at St. Louis.
The Yankees aren’t going into this pressure-packed game on a high note.
“We didn’t solve Keuchel the whole year”, Joe Girardi said. Carlos Correa, Chris Carter, Evan Gattis, Luis Valbuena and Colby Rasmus all hit 20 or more home runs.
Playoff baseball is here! Tanaka has made one start since, and it didn’t go well: He allowed four runs in five innings against Boston on September 30.
New York finished fourth in the AL in home runs and 13th in stolen bases. That could prove to be a big factor in tonight’s game, but Keuchel can neutralize that with a strong game on the mound.
The Astros tied for the league lead with 53 home wins, compared to 33-48 on the road. I never would’ve imagined I would pitch that well and we would play that well at Yankee Stadium, on that big a stage, but that’s what we’ve been doing all year. “They have the right to cheer or boo or do whatever they want”. Half their lineup – Gattis, Gomez, Rasmus and Lowrie – has played in October before. Gattis actually led the team in homers with 27.
If Keuchel is remotely as good as his past performances against the Yankees, it will force Tanaka to be at his best. As for Valbuena, he was right behind Gattis with 25 long balls.
As for New York, you have to look away from the offense to see their true x-factor.
Just as this season was for him after sitting out previous year because of a drug suspension, the postseason is a clean slate for everyone. On the season, Miller saved 39 games while only blowing 2 saves. The Astros are also opting for a pitcher who is 2-0 against the Yankees, having pitched an impressive 16 shutout innings, compiling 21 K’s in the process. They will have to break out of their recent struggles to propel the Yankees to a win. Houston sports fans are accustomed to witnessing their teams falling apart on the very brink of greatness, but as game time approaches even usually outspoken Yankees fans living in H-town are voicing their doubts. 161 – with runners in scoring positions.
Houston went through a painful rebuild, losing 111 games in 2013.
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The Yankees will host the game – but they backed into it.
