There has been plenty of experimenting during this unprecedented season in 2020, with rule changes turning the game on its head. We just witnessed the first-ever Wild Card round, seeing 16 teams square off in a best-of-three series’ to advance. It was a frenzy of playoff action, but as the dust settles we are now back to traditional playoff baseball.
The American League Division Series kicks off today, as the New York Yankees will be the road team against their division rival Tampa Bay Rays. Meanwhile the Houston Astros are set to square off against the Oakland Athletics.
Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics, 4:07 PM ET, Game 1 at Dodger Stadium – TBS
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. vs RHP Chris Bassitt
There has been some bad blood between the Houston Astros and the Oakland Athletics this season, as there was a benches-clearing brawl between the two squads earlier this season. Now they get to settle the score where it matters most in the ALDS.
Oakland comes into this matchup as the favorites after winning seven of their 10 contests during the regular season. Chris Bassitt quietly put together an outstanding season for Oakland, pitching to a 2.29 ERA. In Game 1 of the Wild Card round, Bassitt earned the victory, pitching seven innings of one-run ball.
On the other side, Lance McCullers Jr. takes the bump for the first time this postseason. He carries a career 2.53 playoff ERA.
New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays, 8:07 PM ET, Game 1 at Petco Park – TBS
RHP Gerrit Cole vs LHP Blake Snell
The New York Yankees enter this ALDS as the road team, as the Tampa Bay Rays won the AL East for the first time since 2010. Tampa was the only team in the American League to reach 40 wins this season in large part due to their success against the Yankees. The Rays went 8-2 in their 10 matchups with New York.
While they may be considered slight underdogs, the Yankees lineup has been firing on all cylinders, especially with the return of injured sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. The Yankees mashed their way past the Indians in the Wild Card round, scoring 22 runs in the two-game sweep.
Gerrit Cole was electric in Game 1 of the Wild Card round, striking out 13 batters in his seven innings pitched. For the Rays, 2018 AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell will toe the rubber, coming off a scoreless outing in the previous round.
