The American League Division Series was stretched out due to inclement weather that postponed the finish of the best-of-five matchup between the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Guardians. But on Tuesday, the Yankees came out on top and geared up for a quick turnaround for a best-of-seven series with the top-seeded Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series.
For the third time in the last six years, the Astros and Yankees will meet in the ALCS. Following a sweep of the Seattle Mariners, the Astros setup shop at Minute Maid Park for the first two games of the series. Both teams have the pedigree, and the playoff experience to make this the most seasoned matchup between the Championship Series battles.
There was no underdog upset in the AL, but the Yankees did have their hands full will Terry Francona’s Guardians and their elite pitching staff. The Astros have a similar standpoint in that they boast one of the top-tier staff in all of baseball, both starting and bullpen that limited the Mariners to nine runs over three games, and have the hottest hitter in the playoffs anchoring their offense in Yordan Álvarez.
Álvarez posted a .306 batting average, .406 OBP, and .613 slugging percentage, with 37 homers in 135 regular season games, but his already clutch postseason hitting has highlighted his unbelievable talent. In Game 1 versus the Mariners, he rocked a two-RBI double in the third inning, before walking the game off with a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth.
That was just one of his two homers in the Astros’ three-game sweep of the Mariners, and his 1.086 on-base plus slugging with 7 RBI propelled them to the ALCS. However, manager Dusty Baker’s offense wasn’t as spectacular as a series sweep would suggest, after requiring 18 innings to tally their game-winning one-run. Jose Altuve went 0-for-16 in the ALDS, Trey Mancini was held hitless, and the bats that did perform—didn’t do meaningful damage.
On the flip side, the Yankees clawed their way through the Guardians over five games and became the first team ever to win a playoff series without recording more than six hits in any game. Their offense will undoubtedly need more of a consistent output with the success of the Astros pitching, and the Bronx Bombers, mainly Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, have provided the slug to make a difference.
Judge & Stanton both homered on Tuesday, giving the Yankees a lead that they never relinquished, and it was the fourth time the duo had done so in a postseason game. They now hold the franchise record for that stat, and on the all-time leaderboard, they trail former Astros, Carlos Correa & George Springer, who did it eight times during their tenure in Houston.
ALCS Game info and available pitching matchups
Game 1:
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 4:37 p.m. PT
Minute Maid Park
TV: TBS
Jamison Tailon (NY) vs. Justin Verlander (HOU)
Game 2:
Thursday, Oct. 20, 4:37 p.m. PT
Minute Maid Park
TV: TBS
Luis Severino (NY) vs. TBD (HOU)
Game 3:
Saturday, Oct. 22, 2:07 p.m. PT
Yankee Stadium
TV: TBS
TBD (NY) vs. TBD (HOU)
Game 4:
Sunday, Oct. 23, 4:07 p.m. PT
Yankee Stadium
TV: TBS
TBD (NY) vs. TBD (HOU)
Game 5*:
Monday, Oct. 24, 1:07 p.m. PT
Yankee Stadium
TV: TBS
TBD (NY) vs. TBD (HOU)
Game 6*:
Tuesday, Oct. 25, 3:07 p.m. PT
Minute Maid Park
TV: TBS
TBD (NY) vs. TBD (HOU)
Game 7*:
Wednesday, Oct. 26, 4:47 p.m. PT
Minute Maid Park
TV: TBS
TBD (NY) vs. TBD (HOU)