What to expect from the Rangers-Astros ALCS series
It’s all about Texas in this year’s ALCS. The Rangers enter this series 5-0, but they’re going up against the Astros who historically seem unstoppable in the playoffs.
ARLINGTON, Texas – For Jose Altuve, the first 100 career playoff games are in the books. Just how far into the next century of games might he advance?
The Houston Astros stalwart got started on that Friday, with Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Globe Life Field. Altuve and the Astros are a decade removed from losing 110 games, with almost uninterrupted success since.
At 33, Altuve looks as viable in the postseason environment as ever: He had three hits in Houston’s 10-3 Game 4 victory and has five hits in his last nine at-bats. Thanks in part to the ever-increasing catalogue of postseason games, he is near the top of almost every offensive category.
His three runs scored in Game 4 moved him past Bernie Williams into second in playoff history; he has a ways to go for his 85 runs to catch all-time leader Derek Jeter’s 111. Altuve is also second in career home runs, with 25 and fourth in hits (112) and extra-base hits (45).
Altuve is signed through 2024, and the Astros show little sign of slowing.
“I’m just thankful to be here to play that many playoff games,” says Altuve Friday before Game 5. “And, yes, I’m with some hits and homers and individual stats (leaders) in playoffs, but every time you can play you’re thinking about winning.
“I can say the stats means something because you’re helping the team, but it’s not the highlight at the end of the day. It’s about winning.”
Plenty of that, too. Only Braves pitchers Tom Glavine and John Smoltz have appeared in seven consecutive League Championship Series, as Altuve and third baseman Alex Bregman have. The Astros are two victories from a fifth World Series appearance in this run.
It’s gone quickly – and keeps going quickly, too fast for Altuve to reflect.
“You can ask me again after the whole thing is over,” he says about his most memorable moments in this stretch. Maybe I’ll have a better answer. I’m just enjoying everything.”
Follow along for live updates from Game 5 of the ALCS:
ARLINGTON, Texas – After two perfect innings, the Texas Rangers suddenly had Justin Verlander right where they wanted him: A walk, a single, runners on first and third and the top of the order coming up with one out in the third.
And in two pitches, it was over.
Sluggers Marcus Semien and Corey Seager each swung at Verlander’s first pitch and popped both of them up, Semien to first base and Seager to shallow left field, and a golden opportunity passed.
Verlander has thrown 35 pitches through three innings, and Houston’s high-leverager relievers – Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly – are all rested and ready for this crucial Game 5.
While it’s still early, the Rangers may start to feel the squeeze of the Astros’ pitching soon.
– Gabe Lacques
ARLINGTON, Texas – For the third consecutive game, the Texas Rangers will face an early-inning deficit at their home ballpark. Does that mean a third loss in this ALCS is in the cards?
Houston’s No. 3 hitter Alex Bregman smacked a home run into the left field seats on left-hander Jordan Montgomery’s fifth pitch of Game 4, and the Astros took a 1-0 lead before handing the ball to Justin Verlander for his 38th postseason start.
The pattern is familiar.
The Astros led 3-0 after two innings of Game 3 and one inning of Game 4 and took both, erasing a 2-0 ALCS deficit. Today’s winner seizes the all-important 3-2 advantage before the series heads downstate to Houston for Game 6 on Saturday.
— Gabe Lacques
How to watch Astros vs. Rangers: Time, TV channel
Game 5 on Friday is scheduled to begin at 5:07 p.m. ET airing on Fox Sports 1
ARLINGTON, Texas — In eight postseason games, Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez is now batting .419 (13 for 31), reaching base at a .471 clip, and has driven in 13 runs. It won’t appear on his playoff game log, but let the record reflect that the hitters in front and behind him in the lineup combined to drive in five runs.
And after getting shut out 2-0 in Game 1 of this ALCS, the Astros have scored four, eight and 10 runs in their next three games. The swagger is back, largely because of their cleanup hitter who often moves in silence but might give Bryce Harper a run as the most impactful hitter in the game.
“Alvarez is on fire right now. And he’s the best hitter in the world,” says outfielder Chas McCormick, whose third career postseason home run gave Houston a 9-3 lead. “So when our guy’s going, and we get Altuve going and Jose Abreu going, we’re one of the best teams in the world.
“Having Alvarez hit like he’s been hitting, nothing can stop us right now.”
Astros vs. Rangers lineups, probable pitchers for ALCS Game 5
Houston Astros
Starting pitcher: RHP Justin Verlander – 13-8, 2.28 ERA regular season; 1.42 in 12 ⅔ innings postseason
- Jose Altuve (R) 2B
- Mauricio Dubon (R) CF
- Alex Bregman (R) 3B
- Yordan Alvarez (L) DH
- Jose Abreu (R) 1B
- Kyle Tucker (L) RF
- Chas McCormick (R) LF
- Jeremy Peña (R) SS
- Martin Maldonado (R) C
Texas Rangers
Starting pitcher: LHP Jordan Montgomery – 10-11, 3.20 ERA regular season; 2-0, 2.08 ERA in 17⅓ innings postseason
- Marcus Semien (R) 2B
- Corey Seager (L) SS
- Evan Carter (L) LF
- Adolis Garcia (R) RF
- Leody Taveras (S) CF
- Josh Jung (R) 3B
- Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B
- Mitch Garver (R) DH
- Jonah Heim (S) C
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
