Let The Lone Star Battle Commence - American League Championship Series Preview!
We're set for an absolute doozy between Texas and Houston...
This is arguably the matchup and the rivalry we never knew we wanted, but the one we absolutely need.
The unstoppable force against the immovable object.
The Texas Rangers against the Houston Astros.
This one is for all the marbles. Okay, not quite because this isn’t the World Series, but the pride of Texas and the right to own all the pride in the Lone Star State is very much at stake.
It is fair to say that there is already a lot of hatred between the I-45 foes. That has only gained more traction this year. After all, the Astros have been so used to sitting atop the mountain on their own for years now, with the Rangers too busy being mired in baseball mediocrity.
While Texas was busy posting six consecutive losing seasons since making the ALDS in 2016, the Astros were morphing into a postseason juggernaut, bordering on becoming a dynasty. Houston made it to six straight American League Championship Series, racked up four World Series appearances in six years and celebrated two championship victories.
There was a little spark in the feud between these two teams in the early 2010’s with both franchises enjoying brighter days at the same time. That led to a rapid increase in intensity during matchups, while the Rangers’ refusal to swap their home series following the disaster that was Hurricane Harvey really irked the Astros. And, scrolling through social media this week, that whole episode still sticks in the craw of Houston fans. That certainly added another layer to this whole thing. But, Texas soon took a dramatic nosedive and Houston proceeded to dominate the sport, resulting in a sustained hiatus in the battle for the Lone Star State.
These two fanbases may hate each other but, for a long time, it was all one-sided. The Astros were too busy winning to care about their Lone Star rivals. This was a bitter rivalry in geography only.
However, all that began to change two offseasons ago. Texas, pissed off with being a hot steaming pile of garbage, and armed with a shiny new bullpark, began flexing its financial might. Big-ticket deals were handed out to Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, giving the Rangers an elite and potent two-headed monster at the top of this lineup.
Although the Rangers still went on to lose 94 games in 2022, the front office were successful in beginning to change the culture in Arlington. The next sizable steps were taken this past offseason when GM Chris Young went out and hired the vastly-experienced and three-time World Series winner Bruce Bochy as the team’s new manager. And Bochy’s welcome present? A chunk of money spent on the rotation, including a blockbuster deal for ace Jacob deGrom and a two-year, $34 million contract for veteran starter Nate Eovaldi. Young was then aggressive at the Trade Deadline, swinging a deal for another ace in three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.
All of a sudden, the Rangers were good again.
And, all of a sudden, the Astros were not by themselves in the Lone Star State.
There were tangible signs of a growing hatred and feud between these teams throughout the regular season. Texas infielder Marcus Semien and Houston catcher MartÃn Maldonado clashed during a heated matchup in July, causing both benches to clear. That was in the heat of a division battle, and it was immediately clear that the hatred for each other had ramped up over night.
Then, down the stretch, the Rangers blew a 2.5 game lead over the Astros for the AL West Division by losing three out of four in Seattle to end the year. Houston, as it has always done, found ways to win and ultimately clinched the AL West on the final weekend of the regular season. The fact that the Rangers dropped nine of 13 regular season games to the Astros, including being outscored by a margin of 29 over a three-game demolition job in September, certainly played a crucial role in Houston reclaiming the crown. And it may well add some extra spice to the ALCS.
This isn’t the Yankees-Red Sox by any stretch of the imagination. Let’s be honest, these two rivalries aren’t even in the same stratosphere. Especially when you consider that the rivalry between the Astros and the Rangers is a pretty recent invention. They have only shared the same division for the past 11 years. That is hardly enough time to generate the kind of history of hatred and utter disgust that the Yankees and the Red Sox have shared for each other for a century plus.
However, with Houston and Texas now set to do battle against each other in the postseason for the first time ever, there is a real opportunity for this rivalry to adopt rocket boosters and propel itself to another level entirely.
And all baseball fans should be incredibly excited about it.
With the national spotlight now firmly on the Lone Star State, all eyes will be on these two teams and this under-the-radar rivalry that certainly deserves more attention and more acclaim.
It is a safe bet to suggest that there will be nothing under-the-radar about this feud by the time this series is done.
After all, the Astros are the immovable object, looking to reach a third straight World Series appearance. They are also seeking to become the first team in baseball to repeat as champions since the 1998-2000 Yankees. The regular season was a struggle, especially by Houston’s own very high and lofty standards, but here we are yet again. The Astros in the very thick of things, looking to repeat as champions and ensure that their status as a dynasty over the last decade or so is ironclad.
Experience counts for a lot in the postseason - something I can’t stress enough - and the Astros have that by the bucketload. Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman have been there, done that and got the rings to show for it, and both have contributed this time around too. As has Yordan Alvarez, who has already clubbed four home runs this postseason. He is simply unstoppable this time of year. The rotation is solid, and the bullpen is as battle tested a unit as you can get in October. Plus, veteran manager Dusty Baker just knows how to push the right buttons with this team, especially when it matters most. The Astros have been here so many times before that you would be beyond stupid to even bet against them at this point.
However, just pump the breaks a minute.
Because, on the other side of this are the Rangers. They are very much the unstoppable force in this matchup.
A year removed from losing just a smidge under 100 games, this team has been a relentless juggernaut all year long, except for a late collapse down the homestretch. However, since handing the AL West directly back to the Astros, the Rangers haven’t put a foot wrong. They are 5-0 in the playoffs, with four of those wins coming on the road. They’ve taken down a 99-win team in the Tampa Bay Rays, and a 101-win team in the Baltimore Orioles. Both without even as much as breaking a sweat, by the way.
This is a lineup that simply looks both unstoppable and unsolvable. Corey Seager has been an absolute monster this postseason, drawing a record-setting five walks in a single game. He owns the highest expected slugging percentage in a single postseason in the statcast era (since 2015, min. 20 PA) with 1.062. Seager also has a .429 average with 11 walks, three doubles, a homer and a .680 OBP. Evan Carter has been an absolute revelation in his first taste of the postseason, while the likes of Marcus Semien, Josh Jung and Jonah Heim make this an incredibly deep lineup.
Then there is the pitching. The bullpen has performed the task asked of them, but they’ve been helped by a starting rotation that has exceeded expectations. Veterans Jordan Montgomery and Nate Eovaldi have been lights out so far this postseason, and they are about to get some considerable help…
Yes, that’s right, both Max Scherzer and Jon Gray have been added to Texas’ ALCS roster.
So, not only will the Rangers enter Game 1 riding a relentless wave of momentum with a red-hot lineup, but they will be able to call on two more stud starters at some point this series. And Scherzer, a sure-fire future Hall of Famer, will be available to pitch out of the bullpen if needed. Texas’ new found pitching depth could prove to be the real difference in this series. As could manager Bruce Bochy, who has been here so many times before. He won three World Series with the San Francisco Giants, and his impact on this team can’t be overstated. Bochy will have his team as well prepared as possible, and his ability to push the right buttons during games and rely on his gut instinct to make key decisions will be a real weapon for Texas.
The Lone Star State rivalry is primed for liftoff, and this series should help to add some real legitimacy to it.
The unstoppable force that are the Texas Rangers are going for their first World Series, while the immovable object that is the Houston Astros are looking to repeat as champions and win a third World Series in the last seven years.
This is going to be an absolute doozy.
Let’s get you set with the full schedule, X-Factors and pitching match-ups…
ALCS Schedule
Game 1: Oct, 15, 8:15 P.M. ET, at Houston (FOX, FS1)
Game 2: Oct, 16, 4:37 P.M. ET, at Houston (FOX, FS1)
Game 3: Oct, 18, 8:03 P.M. ET, at Texas (FOX, FS1)
Game 4: Oct, 19, 8:03 P.M. ET, at Texas (FOX, FS1)
Game 5 (if necessary): Oct, 20, 5:07 P.M. ET, at Texas (FOX, FS1)
Game 6 (if necessary): Oct, 22, 8:03 P.M. ET, at Houston (FOX, FS1)
Game 7 (if necessary): Oct, 23, 8:03 P.M. ET, at Houston (FOX, FS1)
Pitching Matchups
Let’s take a look at the confirmed pitching matchups for the ALCS…
Game 1:
LHP Jordan Montgomery, Texas (1-0, 3.27 ERA) - RHP Justin Verlander, Houston (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Game 2:
RHP Nate Eovaldi, Texas (2-0, 1.32 ERA) - LHP Framber Valdez, Houston (0-1, 10.38 ERA)
Again, it is important to note that the Rangers have both Max Scherzer and Jon Gray available in this series, with manager Bruce Bochy confirming that Scherzer can be used out of the bullpen in Game 1 if needed.
ALCS X-Factors
Let’s take a look at a key player for both teams…
Texas Rangers X-Factor - Corey Seager
Corey Seager is really the straw that stirs the drink for this deep, potent and very, very dangerous Texas lineup. He has been lights out in five games this postseason, drawing 11 walks while hitting three doubles and a homer. After blasting 33 home runs during the regular season, Seager can absolutely mash as well as put the ball in play, and he will set the tone for what is an insanely deep Rangers lineup throughout this series.
Houston Astros X-Factor - Justin Verlander
Just in the same way the impetus will be on Corey Seager to get this Texas lineup going, the impetus will be on Justin Verlander to stop it. The sure-fire future Hall of Famer delivers in October, no matter what, and it is no surprise he is getting the ball in Game 1. Postseason Verlander is just special, and the three-time Cy Young Award winner has been dealing so far for the Astros. He threw six shutout innings against the Twins in Game 1 of the ALDS, and he has only given up one run over 19 innings in his last three starts. On extra rest, if a fresh Verlander can shut down this explosive Texas offense, then that could really set the tone for the remainder of this series.
Baseball is finally back after a two-day break!
Enjoy Game 1 of the ALCS tonight, and we’ll be back on Monday with a full recap.
I’ll also have a full preview for the NLCS between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.
See you then!
