Today is the beginning of the National League Championship Series, as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves are set to square off for the first time this season. Each team comes into the matchup with a perfect record this October.
Meanwhile the ALCS began last night, with the Tampa Bay Rays holding on to defeat the Houston Astros 2-1. After falling behind in the first inning when Jose Altuve hit a solo homer, Tampa buckled down and kept Houston off the board for the rest of the game through some great pitching and even better defense. Now they will look to take a commanding lead in the series.
Astros vs Rays, 4:07 p.m. ET, Game 2 at Petco Park (Rays Up 1-0) – TBS
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. vs RHP Charlie Morton
Charlie Morton will once again take on his former team, facing the Houston Astros for the second-straight postseason. Last year, Morton faced Houston in an elimination game during the ALDS, with the Rays trailing 0-2 in the series. Morton delivered, striking out nine over five innings pitched, while allowing just one run in a Rays victory. Tampa ultimately lost the series but took it the distance.
Morton last got the ball for Game 3 in the ALDS, defeating the Yankees to give the Rays a commanding 2-1 lead in the series. Across his MLB career, Morton now has a 3.50 ERA across 46 1/3 innings pitched in the postseason.
The Astros will counter with Lance McCullers Jr, who is coming off a rocky start against the Oakland Athletics in the ALDS. McCullers yielded five runs (4 ER) off eight hits, as Oakland hit three home runs against the righty. Houston hopes he can regain his form from the regular season, where McCullers pitched to a 2.18 ERA over his final eight starts.
Atlanta Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers, 8:08 p.m. ET, Game 2 at Globe Life Park – FOX
LHP Max Fried vs RHP Walker Buehler
We will all be watching to see if Travis d’Arnaud‘s postseason heroics continue into the NLCS. In the previous round, d’Arnaud was nothing short of sensational, hitting .600/.692/1.400, with two home runs, two doubles and seven RBI. Atlanta crushed the Marlins’ pitching for 18 runs across the three-game sweep, but things will be much tougher this round.
Walker Buehler once again takes the mound, starting Game 1 for the third time this postseason. Buehler has only pitched four innings in each of his previous starts, allowing three earned runs across eight innings pitched. Los Angeles is being cautious with their 26-year-old ace, as Buehler has not eclipsed 95 pitches all season.
If there is one game the Braves need to get, it’s this one, as they have been nearly unbeatable with Max Fried on the mound this year. Atlanta is 12-1 in the left-hander’s starts, including two wins this postseason. Fried was great in the Wild Card round, pitching seven scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds. In the NLDS, Fried struggled against the Marlins, giving up four runs across his four innings pitched.
