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If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.
This is where the Boston Red Sox are now.
Despite 108 regular-season victories, the Red Sox have doubts about their participation in the AHL division game with the New York Yankees rival.
Boston has temporarily silenced his opponents by dismissing the Yankees in a relatively demanding way to stage a fight for the AL title with defending World Series champion Houston Astros.
The Astros, who eliminated Boston at last year's ALDS, dismissed the Cleveland Indians in three games.
Before the Red Sox and Astros launch their series at the best of seven, let's see how the two teams face each other.
START OF PITCHING
Boston
The starting rotation of the Red Sox has been excellent in the ALDS against the Yankees. Three of the four starters scored at least five innings while allowing two earned runs or fewer.
All questions regarding the ace, Chris Sale, who will be right in Game 1, were cleared when he came out of the fall shooting in Game 1 against the Yankees, his fastball s'. recording all night in the mid-90s. Dirty launched 5 1/3 inning, allowing two runs on five hits while eliminating eight. The left-hander also kicked off an eighth round 1-2-3 in the playoff win in Boston in Game 4 at Yankee Stadium.
Manager Alex Cora announced Wednesday that David Price, despite his disastrous start in the second game against the Yankees, would get the ball in the second game against the Astros. The southpaw dropped to 0-9 during his playoff career after the Yankees hit him three points in 1 2/3 in Boston's Alder 2 defeat. Price has good numbers against the Astros this season, however, won 1-0 with a silver medal of 3.65 in two starts. In those two starts, Price scored 17 starts, including 10 on Sept. 7 at Fenway Park.
With Price in Game 2, it probably means Cora will go with right-hander Nathan Eovaldi in Game 3 at Minute Maid Park. Eovaldi has been much better at home this season (4-1, 2.06 ERA) than on the road (2-6, 5.14 ERA), but Cora explained that he feels more at home. comfortable with throwing Price at Fenway Park rather than the MMP. After Eovaldi closed the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the third game of ALDS, the Red Sox manager has every reason to trust the right-hander.
Rick Porcello will start the fourth game if Eovaldi qualifies. The winner of the 2016 AL Cy Young Award was excellent in the ALDS, since he saved the Sox scorer in the first match and started five good innings in the fourth match in a five-shot run safe.
Houston
The starting rotation of the Astros, and the staff in general, was dominant throughout the season.
Houston led the league in pass prevention, allowing around 3.3 runs per game. The Los Angeles Dodgers were second at about 3.76. The Astros also led the MLB in the ERA and FIP fields.
Justin Verlander will get the ball in the first match for Houston. The right-handed veteran has faced the Red Sox only once this season, awarding three runs in six innings while getting an absence of decision. Verlander allowed three points in eight innings and two-thirds in Houston's ALDS win against Boston last season. He has averaged 290 strikeouts this season and has been a playoff horse over the course of his career, recording a 12-6 record with an average of 3.08 points in 23 appearances, including 22 starts .
It will not be easier for Boston in the second game, as right-handed southpaw Gerrit Cole will start. Cole was dominant in his start of ALDS 'second game against the Indians, scoring one in three hits while scoring 12 innings out of seven. Cole scored five earned runs while scoring 15 times in 13 innings. against Boston this season.
Dallas Keuchel is expected to start the third game in Houston. The 2015 ALYY Young Award winner was hit hard in his only start against the Sox this season, scoring five runs on nine hits in six sets. Keuchel was helpful in starting the third game against the Indians, allowing two runs in five sets.
Advantage: Houston
Bullpen
Boston
The pen often criticized by the Red Sox has fulfilled its task as part of the SLD against the Yankees. After a bumpy start to the game in which Porcello made an emergency entry to calm the game, the Boston office did enough to make New York 's much vaunted attack remote from the rest of the game. series. In total, the Sox pen allowed seven points in 17 innings at the ALDS. Craig Kimbrel will have to be better if Boston plans to progress. The Red Sox had a poor performance against the Yankees, giving three points in both appearances. Brandon Workman and Eduardo Rodriguez were the only other lifters to allow a run in the series.
Just like their starting rotation, the Houston home is loaded. The Astros pen led the majors in ERA and FIP, just like their rotation. Manager A.J. Hinch has many weapons at his disposal, as evidenced by the number of quality relief officers (Brad Peacock, Hector Rondon, Joe Smith and Chris Devenski) who have been left out of the ALDS list. If Houston starters get the ball to Ryan Pressly, Lance McCullers Jr. and Roberto Osuna with the lead, the match is usually over.
Advantage: Houston
OFFENSE
Boston
Despite the fact that the above categories are in favor of Houston, the Red Sox's offense should be relatively consistent with the Astros' right arm. The Red Sox have feasted on their right-handed throws this season, leading the AL with .817 OPS against right-handers this season. This is of course bad news that Boston will probably face Verlander and Cole twice if the Sox want to win the series, but Boston has the courage to watch the Astros. The Red Sox led the MLB in scoring, batting average, base percentage and slugging percentage. J.D. Martinez could be the key to the series, as Houston staff has silenced him (.192 / .258 / .423 against Houston) this season.
Houston
Just as the Red Sox crush right handed, the Astros hammer them. Houston led the AL with a .803 OPS against lefties while he got the ninth best OPS against the right-handed ones. These figures would seem to be a problem for both Sale and Price, which the Astros could face four times in the seven-game series. Jose Altuve (8 vs. 24) and George Springer (5 vs. 14) had a good career success against Sale, while Alex Bregman and Yuli Gurriel also won the match against Sox's Ace at ALDS from last year.
Advantage: Boston
Prediction
Houston in 6
The Red Sox proved that many of their skeptics were wrong when they crushed the Yankees in the ALDS, but Houston is a very different animal. The formation of the Astros has few holes and should be able to get to the Red Sox Pad in a way that the Yankees could not. Add to that the fact of seeing Verlander and Cole four times in a series of seven games and it's hard to see Boston send the defending champions packing their bags.
Miniature photo via Adam Hunger / USA TODAY Sports Images
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