It’s going to be a busy Thursday covered with intense MLB postseason action, as the American League Division Series finally commences. In the afternoon, the Toronto Blue Jays will play host to the visiting Texas Rangers for the first bout of their best-of-five series at Rogers Centre. Then later at night, the Houston Astros and the reigning AL champions, Kansas City Royals, open up their own division series at Kauffman Stadium.
Read on below for a brief analysis of these two highly-anticipated matchups. And if you’re craving for other sports action, check out some of our NFL Week 5 previews: Cardinals vs. Lions and Seahawks vs. Bengals. Enjoy.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays (3:37 PM ET)
Line: Texas Rangers (+200) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (-240); total: 8.0 – view all MLB lines
[sc:MLB240banner ]With Cole Hamels pitching nine innings last Sunday, the Rangers assigned Yovani Gallardo (13-11, 3.42 ERA) to take the mound in their playoff opener. He has been terrible, though, in his six September starts, owning a 2-2 record with an immense 4.85 ERA.
But Gallardo’s success across two starts against the Blue Jays this season is a reason to be optimistic. During that stretch, he went 2-0 and didn’t surrender a run through 13 2/3 innings of work.
Speaking of the Blue Jays, they’ll be countering with their ace in David Price, who finished the regular season 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA. Price, who won his previous five starts, is just 3-4 with a miserable 5.15 ERA in 11 career starts opposite the Rangers and is 0-3 with a 4.66 ERA and holds a 1-5 mark with a 4.50 ERA throughout 10 postseason games (five starts).
Texas is 4-1 in Gallardo’s previous five road starts. Toronto, meanwhile, is 3-2 in its past five games at Rogers Centre with Price starting.
Click here to see our full preview of this clash.
Writer’s Prediction
The Blue Jays (-240) take the first game, 8-3.
Houston Astros vs. Kansas City Royals (7:30 PM ET)
Line: Houston Astros ( +127) vs. Kansas City Royals (-137); total: 7.5 – view all MLB lines
After relying on their ace Dallas Keuchel to beat the Yankees in the Wild Card game, the Astros turn to Collin McHugh (19-7, 3.89 ERA) to lead them on the mound for their opening game opposite the Royals. McHugh ended the regular season on a high note, winning his last six decisions and further proved that he can be consistently relied upon.
In his lone career start versus Kansas City, he tossed for seven innings of five-hit shutout ball during their 2014 campaign. McHugh will try to extend this brief success over the reigning American League champions despite being 7-4 with a 4.05 ERA and .263 opponents’ batting average in over 16 road starts this year.
As for the Royals, they’ll hand the ball to Yordano Ventura, who is 13-8 with a 4.08 ERA. Ventura threw 14 innings of one-run ball in his final two starts. He’ll be aiming to build on that momentum for Game 1 while holding a 2-1 record with a 3.78 ERA and 1.38 WHIP through three career starts versus the Astros.
Houston is 6-1 in its last seven games with McHugh starting. Kansas City, on the other hand, is 4-1 in Ventura’s past five home starts.
Click here to see our full preview of this game.
Writer’s Prediction
The Astros (+127) pull of the upset by escaping with a 4-3 win at Kauffman Stadium.
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