There are four games today on the playoff schedule. The National League will see both of their series kick off, while the American League will play game two of each of their series.
White Sox at Astros
The Houston Astros took a 1-0 lead in the series yesterday as they beat up on Lance Lynn, scoring five runs off of the White Sox starter in just 3.2 innings. Chicago didn’t get on the board until the 8th inning.
The first game of the day, the Astros will host the White Sox at 2:07pm ET. The game will be on MLB Network.
The White Sox will send Lucas Giolito to the mound to face off against Astros lefty Framber Valdez. Giolito posted a 3.53 ERA in 178.2 innings and had 201 strikeouts this season. He pitched a little bit better on the road than he did at home during the 2021 season. Valdez posted a 3.14 ERA in his 22 starts that stretched 134.2 innings while striking out 125 batters. He had reverse splits, with lefties posting an OPS 91 points higher against him than righties. He also pitched worse at home, posting a 3.45 ERA (2.88 on the road).
Braves at Brewers
The first game of the series, Milwaukee will host Atlanta at 4:37pm ET. The game will be on TBS.
The Brewers will send Corbin Burnes to the mound and he’ll face off against the Braves Charlie Morton. Burns led the National League with a 2.43 ERA in 28 starts. He struck out 234 batters in 167.0 innings this year and gave up just 7 home runs. He did pitch worse at home, posting a 2.85 ERA (1.94 on the road). Morton posted a 3.34 ERA in an NL best 33 starts. He threw 185.2 innings with 216 strikeouts. He was better on the road this season, posting a 3.06 ERA (3.61 at home).
Red Sox at Rays
Much like the other American League game on Thursday, this one wasn’t close. Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead with a 5-0 shutout despite the Red Sox out hitting them 9-6 on the day. Of course all of the Red Sox hits were singles, while the Rays pounded out four extra-base hits – including two home runs. Oh, and Randy Arozarena stole home (he also had one of the home runs).
The third game of the day, the Rays will host the Red Sox at 7:02pm ET. The game will be on FS1.
Tampa Bay will send rookie Shane Baz to the mound to face off against Boston’s Chris Sale. Baz has made just three starts in the big leagues in his career. He has thrown just 13.1 innings, allowed 6 hits, 3 home runs, 3 walks, and he’s struck out 18. After missing all of 2020, and much of 2021, Sale will be making his 10th start of the year on Friday. He posted a 3.16 ERA in 42.2 innings this year with 12 walks and 52 strikeouts. In limited action lefties hit just .154/.154/.192 against Sale this year.
Dodgers at Giants
Arguably the two best teams in baseball this year, the Giants and Dodgers face off in the divisional series out west.
The final game of the day will see San Francisco hosting Los Angeles at 9:37pm ET. The game will be on TBS.
The Giants will send Logan Webb to the mound to face off against the Dodgers Walker Buehler. Webb posted a 3.03 ERA on the season in 148.1 innings while giving up 9 home runs, walking 36, and striking out 158. He dominated against right-handed hitters, holding them to a .568 OPS on the season. He also dominated at home, posting a 1.96 ERA in San Francisco (4.08 on the road). Buehler posted a 2.47 ERA in an NL best 33 starts. He threw 207.2 innings with 52 walks and 212 strikeouts. Lefties and righties both had a sub .600 OPS against him. He did pitch worse on the road in 2021, posting a 3.08 ERA on the road (2.05 ERA at home).
Just watched the video clip of Arozarena stealing home. That was at thing of beauty to watch. Would love to see more of that next year for our guys (just the small ball opportunities, not necessarily stealing home).
CWS hitting star Abreu isn’t swinging for the fences with RISP….settles for a meager RBI single up the middle.
Reds management: “That’s not our approach”
not meant to be a reply to mark.
Indeed Randy A. brings a ton of excitement and intensity to the Rays.
It would be interesting to analyze the splits about Road/Home pitching performances for all teams, especially the starting pitching. I mean there are a remarkable number of pitchers who have been better on the road than home, so it seems curious to me. I don’t know whether it is a trend of this season.
Buck Showalter announcing Stros/CWS game. Just the way he talks about managing a game makes me wish he was the Reds manager. He understands analytics, but is not sunken so deep within them that he can’t adjust under any circumstance that arises.
I got Houston to win it all at 9.5-1. I don”t care about the cheating stuff. In my opinion buying Tre Turner, Scherzer, and Mookie is a worse kind of cheating. It destroys the integrity of the game. Its like putting a great 180 lb boxer against a good heavyweight. The heavyweight will probably win but its not fair competition
It’s the 2nd coming of the 70’s Yankees and the best team money could buy. I’m with you. The masterminds of the cheating were dealt with.
Dusty will have to be dealt with at some point though? Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in the big game is his track record
True on Dusty IRM … and I don’t count myself a fan of him as manager.
One thing in a ballgame that always makes me smile … Kimbrel “Mr. Chicken Wing” getting lit up like a Christmas tree!!
Can’t pull for the Bernies. Can root for the Braves since my daughter worked for their High-A club this year. But it doesn’t look good at this point … unless they can pull off another bomb like the one Joc Pederson just launched.
Johnny Cueto is out of the playoffs for the Giants versus the Dodgers. A repeat of the 2012 playoffs when Cueto went down in the 1st. inning and LeCure and Latos did a yeoman job to win the 1st. game against the Giants.
Watched the LA-SF game. Good to see all those pitchers in the Giants roster that the Reds let go for nothing (Gausman, Disclafani, Wood), a reminder of the FO capabilities.
In a separate note, pitcher Logan Webb and actor Jesse Plemmons are surprisingly look alike, funny.