The Houston Astros, well-rested after securing their sixth American League West championship in seven years on the final day of the regular season, are gearing up to kick off their pursuit of a seventh consecutive AL Championship Series berth. Their first challenge? The Minnesota Twins, who broke an 18-game playoff losing streak by sweeping the Blue Jays in the AL Wild Card Series.
Minnesota holds a 4-2 regular-season record against Houston, with victories both at home in April and on the road at Minute Maid Park in late May. However, it's been four months since these two teams last faced each other.
Remarkably, the three probable starting pitchers for the Astros in the first three games – Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez (named starters for Games 1 and 2) and Cristian Javier (potentially Game 3) – haven't squared off against the Twins this season. Furthermore, the Astros didn't encounter Minnesota's ace, Pablo López.
The Astros boast an impressive 92 playoff games since the start of the 2015 season, more than any other team in baseball. Their extensive postseason experience is certainly an advantage, with one of their former postseason stars, Carlos Correa, now a key player for the Twins.
Correa, a shortstop for the Twins, was instrumental in the Astros' postseason success, including their 2017 World Series championship and AL pennant-winning runs in '19 and '21. With 18 career playoff homers for the Astros, Correa has often declared October as "his time."
Both teams are entering this series with confidence, and Correa believes in the Twins' ability to compete. He said, "We're going out there with the mentality that we can compete against anybody. When I look at our roster, everywhere you look, we're ready."
The Astros are aiming to become the first team to repeat as World Series champions since the Yankees accomplished the feat in 1998-2000.
All the series action is available for viewers in the US on MLB.TV with authentication through a participating Pay TV provider. International viewers can watch the games live, except in Canada. Full game archives will be accessible approximately 90 minutes after each game concludes.
Starting Pitchers:
Twins: Bailey Ober
In selecting their Game 1 starter, the Twins faced a challenging decision. While they could have chosen to have López ready for Game 2, they ultimately opted for Bailey Ober (26 starts, 3.43 ERA in the regular season) over Joe Ryan.
The Astros will entrust Game 1 to Justin Verlander, mirroring last year's strategy that led them to the 2022 World Series title. Verlander, who returned to Houston in July after signing with the Mets last offseason, finished the season impressively, allowing only four earned runs in his final three starts spanning 19 innings.
Verlander's postseason track record includes 16 career playoff wins, second all-time only to Andy Pettitte (19). Nine of those wins came during his time with the Astros. Overall, Verlander boasts a postseason record of 16-11 with a 3.64 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 35 career postseason appearances (34 starts). Additionally, he has a strong 22-10 record with a 2.76 ERA in 40 career starts against the Twins.
The above is about The《ALDS Game 1 Preview: Twins vs. Astros (Saturday, 4:45 PM ET, FS1)》, and finally, I would like to recommend you a pair of shoes air jordan 1 low gym.
