First-ever playoff meeting between the franchises.
Houston headed baseball with 107 wins this regular season but dropped four of seven vs. Tampa Bay; the Astros were 2-1 in house if they last played Aug. 27-29. The teams opened the 2019 year against another in St. Petersburg, so difficult to take much from that.
The Rays hit .255 with eight home runs. Avisail Garcia, who went yard was. Willy Adames struck .333 having a homer and three RBIs. Diaz was .308 but played in three matches. Ji-Man Choi has been 5-for-18 with two homers and five RBIs. Austin Meadows, that led Tampa in nearly every offensive category this season, hit just .148.
Houston struck .266 vs. Rays pitching with 12 homers. Rookie sensation Yordan Alvarez had been 4-for-11 with two homers, six runs and four RBIs in the three games he played. Alex Bregman has been 8-for-29 with two doubles and a homer. Jose Altuve struck .241 with two homers.
One huge injury note this is that Astros shortstop Carlos Correa can play Game 1 after missing this seasons last week due to a sore back.
Tampa Bays ace is Charlie Morton, that rejuvenated his profession the previous two seasons. By allowing one run and five hits over five 19, morton won the match in Oakland. When it changes to Florida he wont currently be prepared until Game 3 of the series.
It will be probably AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander of Houston vs. Tyler Glasnow at Game 1. Verlander (21-6, 2.58 ERA) led the majors in wins and has been first in the AL in innings (233) and WHIP (0.80) while ranking second in strikeouts (300) and ERA. Hes got lots of playoff experience. Glasnow (6-1, 1.78) has none whatsoever. He made just 12 starts this year because of injury; Glasnow only returned early September and didnt go more than 4.1 innings in four begins. He is unlikely to go deep — the Rays have a great bullpen and manager Kevin Cash isnt reluctant to pull his starters (except maybe Morton) very early.
Game two features yet another AL Cy Young offender at Gerrit Cole (20-5, 2.50) vs. 2018 Cy Young winner and lefty Blake Snell (6-8, 4.29) of the Rays. Snell missed about two months because of accidents and created just three September appearances totaling six innings. He wont be moving either.
Game 3 includes midseason trade acquisition and former AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke (18-5, 2.93) from Morton.
Houston has the enormous pitching advantage that is starting, but their rotation isnt used by the Rays like any other group. Tampa Bays bullpen will have to be untouchable for the Rays to possess any shot. We dont see it.
Free MLB Pick: Astros in four
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