AL DIVISION SERIES
Tampa Bay Rays at Houston Astros
1:05 p.m. Central, Fox Sports 1
SCHEDULE All times Central GAME 1 Today at Houston, 1:05 p.m. (Fox Sports 1); GAME 2 Saturday at Houston, 8:07 p.m. (FS1); GAME 3 Monday at Tampa Bay, TBA (MLB Network); GAME 4 (if necessary) Oct. 8 at Tampa Bay, TBA (FS1); GAME 5 (if necessary) Oct. 10 at Houston, TBA (FS1)
SEASON SERIES Rays won 4-3.
PROJECTED LINEUPS RELIEVERS
RH Emilio Pagan (4-2, 2.31 ERA, 20/28 saves), RH Yonny Chirinos (9-5, 3.85), LH Ryan Yarbrough (11-6, 4.13), RH Nick Anderson (3-0, 2.11), RH Diego Castillo (5-8, 3.41), RH Chaz Roe (1-3, 4.06), RH Oliver Drake (5-2, 3.21), LH Colin Poche (5-5, 4.70), LH Brendan McKay (2-4, 5.14), RH Andrew Kittredge (1-0, 4.17).
MATCHUPS
The first postseason meeting between these clubs features the Rays, with baseball’s lowest payroll, facing the team that led the majors in victories. … The teams opened the season against each other at Tropicana Field, with Verlander beating Blake Snell 5-1 on opening day. But the Rays won the next three games to take three of four in series. Charlie Morton beat Gerrit Cole 4-2, and Glasnow also earned a victory in well-pitched series. … Houston fared better against Tampa Bay in August when it won two of three in Houston. … While the Astros roll out three established aces in Verlander, Cole and Zack Greinke, the innovative and unorthodox Rays pioneered the use of openers and often rely on a parade of effective relievers. They do have three traditional starters lined up for this series, though, with Glasnow, Snell and Morton. … Rays Manager Kevin Cash played in 20 games for Astros in 2010 during last season of his career. He was traded to Boston in July that season. … Morton pitched for Astros from 2017-18 and played a big role in their 2017 World Series title. He won Game 7 of American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees and Game 7 of World Series at Dodger Stadium to give Houston its first championship. Morton had a tough time in his last start against Houston when he gave up a season-high six runs in four innings, which tied his shortest start of season, in a 15-1 victory by the Astros on Aug. 27. … Houston’s
RELIEVERS
RH Roberto Osuna (4-3, 2.63, 38/44 saves), RH Ryan Pressly (2-3, 2.32), RH Will Harris (4-1, 1.50), RH Chris Devenski (2-3, 4.83), RH Josh James (5-1, 4.70), RH Hector Rondon (3-2, 3.71), RH Brad Peacock (7-6, 4.12), RH Joe Smith (1-0, 1.80).
311 victories over the past three years are most in a three-season span since Baltimore’s 318 from 1969-71.
WATCH FOR
■ FRESH FACES Tampa Bay’s opening day roster included 17 players with two or fewer years of major league experience, including eight of nine relievers. Meadows and Brandon Lowe became first-time AllStars. Others such as Glasnow, Chirinos, Díaz, Adames, Yarbrough and Poche are eager to make names for themselves, too, on the postseason stage.
■ LEADING OFF Springer led majors with 12 leadoff home runs, tied for second-most in MLB history and one shy of record set by Alfonso Soriano in 2003 with Yankees. Springer is second leadoff batter to hit 39 home runs, joining Soriano who did it in 2006.
■ BARGAIN CATCH One of the best moves the cost-conscious Rays made all year was purchasing d’Arnaud from the Dodgers for $100,000 on May 10. After beginning the season in a 2-for-24 slump with the Mets and Dodgers, he’s been one of Tampa Bay’s most consistent players. In addition to having the second-most RBI on the team since late May, he’s been solid defensively at catcher and also done a nice job at first base.
■ STRIKEOUT STATS Houston pitchers led majors with 1,671 strikeouts and Astros hitters had fewest with 1,166. It was first time in MLB history a team ended the season leading in both categories.