The Houston Astros named their starters for the first two games of the upcoming ALCS versus the Tampa Bay Rays. Breakout star Framber Valdez will get the ball in game one, while Lance McCullers Jr. will start the second game on Monday night, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart and others (via Twitter).
The 26-year-old Valdez established himself in the rotation this season for the Astros, going 5-3 with a 3.57 ERA/2.85 FIP over 70 2/3 innings with 9.7 K/9 to 2.0 BB/9. His two postseason appearances have been particularly sharp. He threw 5 scoreless innings in relief to lock down game one of the wild card series against the Twins. He then went 7 innings in game two against the A’s, yielding just a pair of runs en route to a victory and a 2-0 series advantage. He’ll get a shot to set a similar tone against the left-leaning Rays.
A veteran of big games, McCullers Jr. will get the ball in game two. The Tampa native will make his 6th career postseason start against the Rays on Monday night. McCullers’ sole postseason appearance this year came in an ALDS game one start against the Athletics. It wasn’t a great outing, as the 27-year-old went 4 innings, giving up 8 hits, 3 home runs, and 5 runs in total – though only 4 were earned. During the regular season, he made 11 starts with a 3.93 ERA/3.70 FIP across 55 innings with 9.2 K/9 to 3.3 BB/9.
Because this series has the potential to go 7 games in 7 days, it’s unclear when Valdez and McCullers Jr. might be ready to pitch a second time. On normal rest, they could return for back-to-back starts in games 6 and 7, but it’s more likely the Astros turn to them sooner, depending on the results of the first few games of the series.
I’m ready for this series! Valdez has been nasty though McCullers has been lack-luster. Nevertheless, if the starting pitching can stay in the game through the 6th inning, I think the Astros might have a chance. I do see them winning game 1 though.
Either the Astros prove to the world that they are still good, or the Rays have a chance to win their first WS ever. But 2020 needs an Astros-Dodgers WS, so Let’s go Astros!
I know others will disagree, but I don’t think the Astros have anything to prove. If making the ALCS after losing Cole and half their bullpen wasn’t enough, they then made it after losing Verlander, Osuna, and the other half of their returning bullpen. Oh, and Yordan Alvarez only played 3 games all season as well.
There regular season was ugly because of all those injuries plus injuries to Altuve, Springer, Brantley, Bregman, McCullers, and Urquidy.
No matter how the rest of the playoffs go, I am extremely impressed with this Astros team.
Your username reminded me of something I said a few weeks ago.
So last year me and my friend went to ALDS game 1 against Tampa in Houston. We got orange rally towels, and on them said “Take it back”. Looking back on that, I wonder if the Astros meant “Take back the WS” or “Take back everything you did in 2017” lol. It’s like they were having a moral crisis that nobody noticed lol.
They finished under .500 and would have missed the postseason any other year. Any team can get hot over 2 weeks.
If they played a full season they would still win 90 games. A 60 game season is a joke. Any team can play good or bad for 60 games. That’s why 162 is great.
Not every team has Springer, Altuve, Bregman, Brantley, Correa, etc. They still don’t strike out and can just rake.
The Astros lost 14 1 run games this season. Obviously those loses would have leveled out over the course of a full season. It’s not a “hot two weeks.” Split those those loses and their record is 36 and 24. Tied for 3rd best in the league. That’s without our ace, closer, and ROY. Astros are better than you think.
Oh stop. They were 29-31 this year and extremely lucky to even make the playoffs. They’ve had a nice couple weeks but this season has not been impressive and does not compensate for their calculated cheating in past.
They were lucky to make the playoffs in a season in which more teams made the playoffs than didn’t?
The Astros lost the top two AL Cy Young finishers, the rookie of the year, their closer, almost the entire rest of their bullpen, Greinke was bad for half the season, McCullers dealt with injuries, Altuve forgot how to hit…and they’re still in the ALCS. Anyone who thinks this team has something to prove is either insane or knows nothing about baseball. If it weren’t for the scandal this team would be considered and epic Cinderella story for what they’ve overcome to get to this series.
They underperformed statistically without cheating and in/game video, played under .500 and wouldn’t even be in the postseason if not for the crazy COVID-19 rules. I guess it’s appropriate that the team that’s benefiting the most in this crazy 2020 because of the virus is the Astros, down to even avoiding fan ridicule at ballparks.
Whatever they’ve done and perhaps will do over a few weeks in October falls under category of fluky. If they win it all? Two titles with an *.
There is no forgiveness for what they did in 2017. History has branded them permanently, as they have the 1919 Black Sox.
Hahaha. So if the Dodgers, Braves, or Rays win they will have an asterisk for this year?
Why even play the season if it’s not going to count? What a silly argument.
Hopefully one of those decent teams will win it all and not the cheaters, but this season will always have an mental asterisk attached to it. When the 2020 champion is mentioned there will always be an additional sentence no matter which team wins, but if it’s the Astros there will be multiple comments about their cheating, questioning the legitimacy of anything they’ve accomplished. The other teams at least don’t carry that baggage and will be viewed positively. I don’t blame Astros fans for previously supporting their cheating team because they were unaware. Those defending them now though is telling, and what it tells about them isn’t good. Be ashamed.
Not ashamed at all. For one, the Astros have proven in ‘18, ‘19, and now in ‘20 that they are a great team. Second, If you think the Astros are the only team that cheated, with all the proof out there of this being a widespread issue, then that is also telling. But hey, bury your head in the sand and act holier than thou if that makes you feel any better. I’m good either way.
I don’t think anyone said the Astros aren’t good or that the players aren’t talented. The disdain for the Astros is because they are cheaters. The fact that they are good reinforces the absurdity of what they did: cheat like crazy in a totally blatant and stupid manner. They are a talented team. They also have zero integrity and are cheaters (at least the hold overs from the 2017 roster are – and most likely before and after 2017). Carlos Correa, Alex Bergman, Jose Altuve, Yuli Gurriel, Josh Reddick, Marwin Gonzalez, et al, they are all cheaters and will be forever, regardless by of what they do the rest of their careers. And, apologies to Astros fans, but that 2017 World Series trophy is exactly what Manfred said it is, a piece of metal. That World Series will mean nothing to baseball history, because that Astros team cheated.
PLENTY of people have said it, month after month. “The cheating system means that they were garbage all along.” I’ve heard that from far more people than anything else. So many seem legitimately shocked that they didn’t finish in last place and miss the playoffs. It’s nuts.
Well those people probably don’t pay much attention to baseball outside of their fandom or something. The Astros are very talented. George Springer is going to get a really nice contract this off-season. So are the other cheaters when they hit free agency. But they are always going to be cheaters, no matter what. They could win the next ten World Series together as a band of inseparable brothers, and they are still, without doubt, cheaters.
Anyone who doubts their talent is dumb; anyone who thinks future success forgives them as cheaters is dumber.
I mean Dodger fans forgave Mookie Betts and Joe Kelly.
A’s fans forgave Fiers and Tony Kemp
Twins fans have forgiven Marwin Gonzales
Yankees fans have this weird belief that the Astros cheated in ‘18 and ‘19, yet they still forgave Cole.
So evidently cheaters are forgiven when they come to your team.
It’s also strange that no one seems to have this hatred for Boston and their players, even though they cheated. Yet they hate current Astros that had nothing to do with the ‘17 cheating scandal, such as Tucker, Alvarez, Brantley, and basically the entire pitching staff except McCullers.
I have been pleasantly surprised by Framber this year. He has a wicked curve, but the walks and 2-0, 3-0 counts last year were tough to watch. If he keeps his control under control, he has a lot of potential.
Definitely a pleasant, and much needed, surprise.
Can’t see anything but the Andrew Freidman World Series. i.e Rays/Dodgers.
Second that but Rays/Braves would be more Interesting.
The Cheapos vs. the Cheaters.
Rob Manfred’s nightmare is Tampa making the World Series.
Tony Clark’s nightmare is Tampa winning the World Series.
At least this year if the Rays make it there won’t be any WS Games at the Trop. I think we can all agree that’s a positive thing.
Thats one of the dummest comments i ve ever heard, you probably never been to the trop….
The biggest reason to root for the Astros is Dusty. Once again he has proved his ability to manage. Good luck, Dusty!!!
Brewers & Astros should not have made the playoffs-The End. MLB made a farce of the playoffs and rewarded teams that did not do the business in the regular season which is totally wrong.
Obviously the Astros belong as they whipped the teams with the 3rd and 4th best records in MLB this year. The Nats won the WS last year and their record after 60 games was terrible. They would not have made the playoffs either after 60 games. But by seasons end they were the best team and won the WS.
No, they do not belong there, you do not reward a team under .500 29-31 by making the playoffs, it’s wrong, and it will always be wrong no matter who they “whipped”, they shouldn’t have been there in the first instance to ‘whip’ anyone.
The subject is not the Nationals, and we are not talking “after 60 games” for last season. This season was 60 games, you shouldn’t be able to make a playoff game by having a losing record, and going by your justification then the Giants should have been there too.
And if they win the WS, would you still say that? Hell the Cardinals won a WS with 83 wins, barely over .500 over 162 games. What’s the difference?
The Astros also held out most of their starters, and used minor league pitchers in their last series with the Rangers since they had already clinched a playoff spot. If they don’t do that, they would have at least been .500. I guess doing so would allow you to feel better about them making it. Chances are though the Astros could have gone 60-0 and you would still feel like they don’t belong.
they need to getcmore out of Greinke..hes fading fast