The American League Championship Series kicks off Sunday night in San Diego with some interesting contrasts. The Rays went 40-20 in the regular season, securing the top seed in the AL. They had a pretty clear-cut case as the best team in the American League for at least the last six weeks of the regular season and they are fresh off taking out the nearly-full-strength Yankees in the ALDS in five games.
You'll find the complete schedule for the ALCS below. Do note that the official start times for select games have not yet been announced. Games are streaming on the TBS app.
| Date | Start time | Starting pitchers | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Game 1 - Sun., Oct. 11 |
7:37 p.m. ET |
LHP Framber Valdez vs. LHP Blake Snell |
TBS |
|
Game 2 - Mon., Oct. 12 |
4:07 p.m. ET |
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. vs. RHP Charlie Morton |
TBS |
|
Game 3 - Tues., Oct. 13 |
TBD |
TBD vs. TBD |
TBS |
|
Game 4 - Weds., Oct. 14 |
TBD |
TBD vs. TBD |
TBS |
|
Game 5 - Thurs., Oct. 15* |
TBD |
TBD vs. TBD |
TBS |
|
Game 6 - Fri., Oct 16* |
TBD |
TBD vs. TBD |
TBS |
|
Game 7 - Sat., Oct. 17* |
TBD |
TBD vs. TBD |
TBS |
*- If necessary
The Astros, meanwhile, were just 29-31 in the regular season. They were the only AL team to make the playoffs with a losing record and only avoided having to play the Rays in the first round due to the format and geography. And yet, the seem to have flipped a switch and they've taken out the division-winning Twins (2-0) and A's (3-1).
This current Rays group hasn't been this far together. This current Astros group is pretty used to being here.
The Astros are now going for their third AL pennant in the last four years. This is their fourth straight trip to the ALCS. The Rays only have one AL pennant and it came in 2008, which was also their last (and only) trip to the ALCS.
Offensively, the Astros struck out the least of any AL team while the Rays led the AL in strikeouts. The Rays walk a lot while the Astros don't. The Rays will steal bases, while the Astros don't do it often (they were 10th in the AL with 22 in the regular season, compared to the Rays being fourth with 48). They do have something in common: Both teams have big potential power.
Pitching-wise, the Rays are incredibly strikeout-heavy and that'll make for a very fun battle with the contact-oriented Astros. With their heavy use of Tyler Glasnow and relief aces Nick Anderson, Peter Fairbanks and Diego Castillo in Game 5 of the ALDS and only one day, the Rays enter the ALCS a bit compromised. They are deep, though. The Astros aren't quite as deep with pitching, but they'll be more rested.
Given that teams were separated into regions this season, these two teams haven't played each other at all in 2020. The last time they faced off? Game 5 of the 2019 ALDS, when the Astros eliminated the Rays.
In all, it promises to be an incredibly fun series.
"TV" - Google News
October 12, 2020 at 09:19AM
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Astros vs. Rays schedule, series preview: MLB playoffs live stream, TV channel, start times for ALCS - CBS Sports
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