NEWSLETTER
All right, that National League Wild Card game last night felt a whole lot more like postseason baseball than its American League counterpart on Tuesday, and it was a perfect way to get ready for the real deal to kick off today when the ALDS kicks off this afternoon.
On one side of the bracket, we have the Houston Astros hosting the Chicago White Sox at Minute Maid Park, and on the other side, we have the Tampa Bay Rays hosting the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field in Game 1 of both ALDS series.
Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox – Game 1
The last time the Chicago White Sox won a postseason series was on the same field upon they’ll open this series today, when they beat the (then National League) Houston Astros in Game 4 of the 2005 Word Series. Lance Lynn takes the ball for the White Sox today in just the situation Rick Hahn envisioned when he traded Dane Dunning to Texas for the veteran right-hander last winter, opposed by Lance McCullers Jr. for the Houston Astros.
Jose Abreu gave White Sox fans a scare yesterday when word surfaced that he wasn’t with the team in Houston for their workout at Minute Maid Park. The White Sox confirmed such after fan outcry on social media demanding answers, stating that Abreu was battling flu-like symptoms, but COVID-19 has been ruled out, and Abreu flew to Houston last night to join the team. His availability for today’s game is in the air per the club, but I can tell you for sure that Jose Abreu would have to be missing a leg to watch this game from the dugout. Abreu is the elder statesman on this club; he’s not going to miss Game 1.
While Abreu will be playing in Houston, veteran southpaw Dallas Keuchel will not be a part of the action. Keuchel underperformed to the tune of a 5.28 ERA this season and was highly vulnerable to the long ball. Now he’ll be a spectator in the ALDS, and one can only imagine that his time in Chicago has likely come to an end.
Refuse to lose.
The time is ours. #ChangeTheGame pic.twitter.com/pAy1MlEKKZ— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) October 7, 2021
Broadcast Info
First Pitch: 3:07 PM (CT)
TV: FS1 (Adam Amin, A.J. Pierzynski, Tom Verducci)
Radio: ESPN 1000 (Local – Len Kasper, Darrin Jackson; National – Dan Shulman, Xavier Scruggs)
Starting Pitching Matchup
Lance McCullers Jr. (RHP) – 2021: 13-5, 3.16 ERA – Postseason: 1-2, 3.28 ERA
vs.
Lance Lynn (RHP) – 2021: 11-6, 2.69 ERA – Postseason: 5-4, 4.80 ERA
Starting Lineups
Houston Astros
1. Jose Altuve, 2B
2. Michael Brantley, LF
3. Alex Bregman, 3B
4. Yordan Alvarez, DH
5. Yuli Gurriel, 1B
6. Carlos Correa, SS
7. Kyle Tucker, RF
8. Jake Meyers, CF
9. Martin Maldonado, C
Chicago White Sox
1. Tim Anderson, SS
2. Yoan Moncada, 3B
3. Jose Abreu, DH
4. Yasmani Grandal, C
5. Luis Robert, CF
6. Eloy Jimenez, LF
7. Gavin Sheets, 1B
8. Adam Engel, RF
9. Leury Garcia, 2B
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox – Game 1
The Tampa Bay Rays were so close to winning it all last fall, and they’ll start their journey to win their second consecutive American League pennant this evening when they host their divisional foe, the Boston Red Sox, at The Trop. However, many believe that Kevin Cash might have managed them out of a World Series in 2020, so it’ll be interesting to see if Cash has a different approach this time around or he doubles down on his tactical beliefs in the dugout.
The Red Sox knocked off their arch-nemesis from New York in Tuesday’s American League Wild Card game, and now they’ll look to do the same to another AL East rival in the ALDS. However, the Red Sox will have their work cut out tonight, with Tampa sending southpaw Shane McClanahan out to the mound. McClanahan led the Rays in strikeouts this season with 141 and pitched to the tune of a 3.43 ERA.
Now it gets interesting pic.twitter.com/c7bXuY7wGy
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 6, 2021
Broadcast Info
First Pitch: 7:07 PM (CT)
TV: FS1 (Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal)
Radio: ESPN 1000 (Kevin Brown, Chris Burke)
Starting Pitching Matchup
Shane McClanahan (LHP) – 2021: 10-6, 3.43 ERA – Postseason: 0-0, 8.31 ERA
vs.
Eduardo Rodriguez (LHP) – 2021: 13-8, 4.74 ERA – Postseason: 0-0, 8.10 ERA
Starting Lineups
Lineups for the Rays-Red Sox were not available at the time of publishing, but we will update this story with the lineups as soon as they’re released. ALDS rosters for both clubs can be found below the lineup(s) area.
Tampa Bay Rays
1. Randy Arozarena LF
2. Wander Franco SS
3. Brandon Lowe 2B
4. Nelson Cruz DH
5. Yandy Diaz 3B
6. Jordan Luplow 1B
7. Manuel Margot RF
8. Mike Zunino C
9. Kevin Kiermaier CF
Boston Red Sox
1. Enrique Hernandez CF
2. Kyle Schwarber DH
3. Xander Bogaerts SS
4. Rafael Devers 3B
5. Hunter Renfroe RF
6. Alex Verdugo LF
7. Bobby Dalbec 1B
8. Christian Vazquez C
9. Christian Arroyo 2B
