Astros Fan Jose Alvarado Arrested After Running on Field, Hugging Jose Altuve
Oct 21, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 20: Jose Altuve #27 of the Houston Astros grounds out against the New York Yankees during the first inning in game two of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park on October 20, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
A Houston Astros fan who ran onto the field and hugged Jose Altuve during Game 2 of the American League Championship Series has been arrested.
A spokesperson for the Houston Police Department told TMZ Sports that Jose Alvarado was booked on a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge.
Alvarado jumped over the railing in the ninth inning of Houston's 3-2 win over the New York Yankees. He was able to get a quick moment with Altuve before security finally got to him.
Altuve downplayed the situation after the game. He told reporters Alvarado was saying "saying we need to win" and he was "about to take a selfie" with the fan before security intervened to take him away.
TMZ noted as of Friday morning Alvarado was still in police custody.
The incident didn't seem to impact the Astros. Ryan Pressly closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning. He struck out Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres and Matt Carpenter to give Houston a 2-0 series lead.
This marks the fifth consecutive win to start the postseason for the Astros. They swept the Seattle Mariners in the American League Division Series.
The last time Houston won five straight playoff games was over a two seasons from 2017-18. It began with Game 7 of the 2017 World Series, continued the following year with a three-game sweep over Cleveland in the ALDS and Game 1 victory over the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS.
The Astros finished the regular season with an AL-best 106-56 record. They have held home-field advantage through two games against the Yankees.
New York will look to get back in the series in Game 3 on Saturday. Gerrit Cole will make his first start of the ALCS. He allowed three runs with 16 strikeouts over 13.1 innings in two starts against Cleveland in the ALDS.
Astros manager Dusty Baker has yet to announce his Game 3 starter. They are two wins away from their fourth World Series appearance since 2017.
Gauging the Yankees' Panic Meter After Digging 2-0 Hole vs. Astros in ALCS
Oct 21, 2022
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone blows a bubble whilst making a pitching change during the eighth inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Championship Series between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki )
If the history of best-of-seven series in Major League Baseball's postseason is any indication, there's now just a 16 percent chance of the New York Yankees returning to the World Series for the first time since 2009.
Time to panic? We'll get to that.
What's undeniably true right now is that the Yankees are reeling from back-to-back losses to the Houston Astros to begin the American League Championship Series. After Justin Verlander pitched Houston to a 4-2 victory in Game 1 on Wednesday, Alex Bregman played the hero by way of a three-run home run that paced a 3-2 win in Game 2 on Thursday:
For its part, a Yankees offense that led the American League in scoring and home runs in the regular season simply couldn't get to Framber Valdez. The only two runs the left-hander gave up in seven innings were unearned, and he ended up with the third-most swings and misses ever recorded in a playoff game.
Once Ryan Pressly got Matt Carpenter on a check swing to strike out the side and end the game, the Astros had secured their fifth straight win to begin the postseason. Per MLB.com's Sarah Langs, that's tied for the sixth-longest streak in the league's wild-card era.
So, just how doomed are the Yankees?
Why the Panic Meter Is High
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 20: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees reacts after scoring a run against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning in game two of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park on October 20, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Short answer? It's the offense, stupid.
Though they were ultimately victorious, the Yankees weren't racking up hits and runs on the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series. They mustered 20 runs in five games, with a .182 average that ranks among the worst ever for a team that won a best-of-five series.
Two games into the ALCS, things have improbably gotten worse. The Yankees only have four runs, as well as just nine hits and—[double-checks notes]—holy smokes, that really does say 30 strikeouts.
The Yankees are now batting just .169 for the playoffs. That's bad. Bad as in second-worst all-time to the 2017 Chicago Cubs among clubs that played at least seven games in a postseason.
For the most part, it's been a perfect storm of good pitching and bad hitting. To the former, it's just plain hard for hitters to do damage when they're up against stuff like this:
To the latter, the Yankees are swinging at air too often. Their collective strikeout rate ranks as the highest all-time among teams with so many as five games played in a given postseason:
2022 New York Yankees: 33.7 percent
2019 Los Angeles Dodgers: 32.8 percent
2017 Cleveland Guardians: 32.6 percent
Though Verlander and Valdez may indeed be out of the way for now, the Yankees still face tough challenges in Games 3 and 4.
Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. are lined up to take the ball to start things for Houston. Javier had a 13-strikeout game against New York back on June 25, while McCullers pitched to a 2.27 ERA in eight regular-season outings before hurling six shutout frames in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Seattle Mariners. Although it is worth mentioning that McCullers Jr. was bumped back from Game 3 to Game 4 due to getting hit on the elbow by a champagne bottle during the celebration after defeating the Mariners.
Factoring in just how much Houston's bullpen has lived up to its MLB-best 2.80 ERA so far in these playoffs—how about a 0.71 ERA?—it's hard to view the outlook of the Yankees offense as anything other than grim.
Why the Panic Meter Is Low
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, left, watches teams ahead of Game 1 of baseball's American League Championship Series between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Well, for starters, Game 2 is one that the Yankees could have won.
The 97 mph fastball that Bregman hit out wasn't even a bad pitch by Luis Severino, nor was the resulting long ball a crush job. Per Statcast, it left the bat at a modest 91.8 mph and had just a 4 percent chance of becoming a hit.
Compare that to this one that Aaron Judge, he of the American League record 62 home runs, just missed with a runner on in the eighth inning:
That was 106.3 mph off the bat with a 91 percent chance of going for a hit. As manager Aaron Boone opined, it might have reached the seats if the roof hadn't been open at Minute Maid Park.
To quote Severino: "I threw a great pitch. He hit it at 91 mph. That's the only thing I'm gonna say and Judge hit it at 106 mph and it didn't go out. I don't know, they got lucky."
In addition to a feeling that they got screwed, the Yankees can also walk away from Houston feeling proud about the aspects of the game where they did play well.
Above all, with regard to their run prevention. Severino and Jameson Taillon both pitched well in their starting assignments, and a defense that led MLB in defensive runs saved this season was on point.
Certainly, never more so than on this double play in Game 2 (second highlight in the clip below):
The bullpen also had a good game on Thursday, as Jonathan Loáisiga and Wandy Peralta allowed just three hits and a walk in 2.2 innings of relief for Severino. All-Star closer Clay Holmes, meanwhile, has gotten a much-needed rest since he last appeared on Tuesday.
Further reasons for optimism on the pitching side include Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes, who are slated to start Games 3 and 4. McCullers and Javier are talented, sure, but they're up against two hurlers who had a combined 3.03 ERA in the regular season and have thus far pitched to a 2.34 ERA through four starts in the playoffs.
Last but not least, even Dorothy doesn't value home as much as the Yankees have in 2022. Whereas they went just 42-39 on the road, their 57-24 record at Yankee Stadium tied for the best home record in the league.
Let's Put the Panic Meter at...
How about a nice, solid 7 out of 10?
Let's go back to how history just isn't on the Yankees' side. Of the 88 teams that have ever fallen into a 2-0 hole in a best-of-seven series, only 14 have ever come back to emerge victorious.
And while it's all well and good that the Yankees have played the Astros tough in this series, that it's nonetheless been in losing efforts qualifies as more of the same.
Mind you, not just to the extent that Houston also beat New York in the ALCS in 2017 and 2019. The Astros went 5-2 against the Yankees in the regular season this year, with both losses coming in games they led going into the late innings on June 23 and 26.
Between that and how things are looking so far in this latest grudge between these two rivals, it sure looks like one of them is simply better than the other.
Game 3 will be at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. ET.
Framber Valdez, Alex Bregman Praised by MLB Twitter in Astros' Game 2 Win vs. Yankees
Oct 21, 2022
Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) reacts after stiking New York Yankees Kyle Higashioka during the seventh inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Championship Series, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
The New York Yankees struggled to do much against Houston Astros starter Framber Valdez on Thursday night. And that set up Alex Bregman to be the hero, an October theme in recent years.
The star third baseman's three-run homer in the bottom of the third inning was ultimately the difference in this game, giving the Astros a 3-2 win and a 2-0 advantage in the American League Championship Series.
Alex Bregman's 14th career postseason home run broke a tie with Justin Turner for the most by a third baseman in MLB history. pic.twitter.com/SSXP5pVD6X
Valdez had it handled from there, throwing seven innings of four-hit ball while striking out nine. He didn't give up an earned run, with both runs coming in the top of the fourth after both a fielding error and throwing error from the pitcher, on the same play, left two men on base. Both scored in ensuing at-bats.
Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly handled the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, without too much drama—although Aaron Judge did smash one to the warning track in right field in the eighth, a very deep and scary out for Houston—and the Astros have the Yankees on the ropes as the series heads back to New York.
The Astros have a funny habit of being in the mix every October, and Bregman has a knack for being at the center of the heroics, so his homer was par for the course. But Valdez perplexing a scary Yankees lineup was huge.
Perhaps that shouldn't come as a major surprise, either. After all, Valdez was 17-6 this season with a 2.82 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 194 strikeouts, easily his best season in the big leagues.
It's one thing to do it in the regular season. It's another to bring the goods in October. The moment wasn't too big for Valdez.
Astros' Justin Verlander Showed 'Why He's a Hall of Famer' in Game 1 vs. Yankees
Oct 20, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 19: Justin Verlander #35 of the Houston Astros on the field during the first inning against the New York Yankees in game one of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park on October 19, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Justin Verlander received praise from
his Houston Astros teammates after leading the team to a 4-2 victory
over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALCS on Wednesday night.
Verlander allowed just one run on three
hits and one walk while striking out 11 across six innings, shutting
down a Yanks offense that ranked second in runs scored during the MLB regular season.
"I think you saw what a real Hall
of Fame pitcher's made of tonight," starter Lance McCullers Jr.
told ESPN's Marly Rivera. "He had a tough start in the DS. You
don't have to beat around the bush; it wasn't a great start. I know
he wanted to do better. ... You saw him work all week. He felt like
he had some adjustments to make, and he made the adjustments. ... In
a series where there's only one off day, him being able to give us
six amazing innings, speaks volumes for who he is as a pitcher and a
competitor."
Catcher Martin Maldonado added: "This
is exactly what I expected from him. That is why he is a Hall of
Famer."
Despite being one of the generation's
best pitchers, Verlander hasn't always enjoyed the same level of
success in the playoffs. His postseason ERA (3.55) is more than
three-tenths of a run above his regular-season mark (3.24), and he
struggled in his ALDS start, giving up six runs in four innings as
part of an 8-7 win over the Seattle Mariners.
If the Astros move past the
Yankees to reach the World Series, one of the key storylines will be
the 39-year-old ace's past performance in the Fall Classic: 0-6 with
a 5.68 ERA across seven starts.
That said, what New York dealt with Wednesday night is closer to what's expected from Verlander. A wicked mix of pitches working off the baseline of an overpowering fastball that can make him unhittable at times.
The Yanks' only run came on a solo
homer by Harrison Bader in the second inning. They didn't get any runners on base over the Astros starter's final three frames of
work.
"He gave us exactly the kind of
performance we needed, and I feel that I say that all the time about
Verlander," second baseman José Altuve told Rivera. "This
was a huge win for us, alongside our bullpen, which has been
exceptional all season. He set the tone and allowed us to win the
first game, which is very important in a tough series like this one,
and against a great team like the Yankees."
Houston manager Dusty Baker praised the
pitcher's mental approach after he got out of a third-inning jam with
back-to-back strikeouts of Josh Donaldson and Matt Carpenter.
"He's not only physically strong,
which you can see, but he's mentally strong," Baker said. "This
guy, he has mental toughness. When he's down and out and it looks
like you got him in trouble, I mean, this guy, he can dial it up."
The strong performance gives the Astros
an early edge in the battle of the American League's top two clubs
during the regular season.
Houston will send Framber Valdez to the
mound in Game 2 on Thursday in search of a commanding 2-0 lead. New
York is set to counter with Luis Severino.
First pitch at Minute Maid Park is
scheduled for 7:37 p.m. ET on TBS.
MLB Twitter Celebrates Justin Verlander's Mastery in Astros' Game 1 Win vs. Yankees
Oct 20, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 19: Justin Verlander #35 of the Houston Astros throws the ball during the first inning in the game against the New York Yankees in game one of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park on October 19, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Football has its ageless wonder in Tom Brady. Basketball has its ageless wonder in LeBron James.
Baseball may have one too with 39-year-old Justin Verlander.
The Houston Astros ace, who will likely take home his third career Cy Young this season, was brilliant while leading his team to a 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday. Houston is now three games away from its fourth World Series trip in six years, while the Yankees are facing a deficit against the team that eliminated them in the 2017 and 2019 ALCS.
Verlander gave the Astros a massive advantage on paper considering he was facing Jameson Taillon instead of Gerrit Cole or Nestor Cortés, who each pitched twice in the Division Series win over the Cleveland Guardians.
The future Hall of Famer capitalized on that by allowing a single earned run and striking out 11. He moved into first place in Major League Baseball history in postseason strikeouts and earned plenty of praise on social media in the process:
Justin Verlander has made 19 postseason starts of at least 100 pitches. That is the most of anyone in the Wild Card Era. Andy Pettitte is second with 17. @MLBNetwork
from Rookie of the Year in '06 to Cy Young in '11 to looking washed in '14 to finding his footing again to re-inventing with the Astros to Tommy John surgery at 38 to putting up one of his best seasons at 39
Verlander is still that dude. Six innings, one run, three hits, eleven strikeouts and one walk. It's still 1-1 as we head to the bottom half of the inning. #LevelUp
New York missed a golden opportunity to get to Verlander in the early going after Harrison Bader gave it the lead with a solo homer in the second inning. It put runners on second and third with one out in the third, but the starter escaped the jam with strikeouts of Josh Donaldson and Matt Carpenter.
The back-to-back punchouts set off a run of dominance that included six straight strikeouts as Verlander established full command, mixed in different pitches and retired the final 11 batters he faced.
Taillon pitched well enough to keep his team in the game by allowing just one run in 4.1 innings, but Houston's offense went into launch mode against the Yankees' bullpen with solo homers from Yuli Gurriel, Chas McCormick and Jeremy Peña.
That was enough for Ryan Pressly to close the door with a 1.1-inning save, and the Astros will look to defend home field again in Thursday's Game 2.
Yankees vs. Astros: Who Has the Edge in Historically Great ALCS Matchup?
Oct 19, 2022
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 18: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees hits a home run in the second inning during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
It's not always the best team that advances in the MLB postseason. Oftentimes, it's simply about who gets hot at the right time and proves capable of riding that momentum for a few weeks in October.
Not in the 2022 ALCS.
The Houston Astros and New York Yankees were unquestionably the best teams in the American League during the regular season, and, compared to the 87-win Philadelphia Phillies and the 89-win San Diego Padres squaring off in the NLCS, this year's ALCS matchup is a veritable clash of the titans.
After rain postponed Game 5 on Monday night, the Yankees closed out their ALDS matchup against the Cleveland Guardians with a 5-1 victory on Tuesday afternoon. Now they face a quick turnaround for Game 1 of the ALCS on Wednesday night.
How good were the top two seeds on the AL side of the bracket?
The Astros won an AL-high 106 games during the regular season and held at least a share of the AL West lead from May 11 through the end of the year, cruising to their fifth division title in six years with a 16-game lead over the upstart Seattle Mariners.
Meanwhile, the Yankees looked like the team to beat when they went 56-21 over the first three months of the season. They hit some rough patches in July and August but came out the other side with a 20-11 record from Sept. 2 through the end of the year to finish 99-63 and comfortably out in front of the AL East field.
But which AL juggernaut has the edge in the ALCS?
A lot changes over the course of a 162-game season, so season-long stats are not always the best indication of how a team is currently playing, but it can at least serve as a tale of the tape of sorts to get the conversation started.
Team ERA: HOU (2.90), NYY (3.30) SP ERA: HOU (2.95), NYY (3.51) RP ERA: HOU (2.80), NYY (2.97)
At first glance, this might seem like an easy Yankees offense vs. Astros pitching storyline, but both teams ranked near the top of the league in all of those categories, so it's tough to call either end of things a weakness for these two teams.
What, then, is going to decide this series?
Jameson Taillon and Luis Severino vs. A Rested Houston Rotation
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 14: Jameson Taillon #50 of the New York Yankees pitches during the tenth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game two of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 14, 2022 in New York, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
With wins in Game 1 and Game 4 of the ALDS, Gerrit Cole has played the role of staff ace masterfully for the Yankees thus far, chewing through 13.1 innings in those two starts to help take pressure off the New York bullpen.
Behind him, 2022 breakout star Nestor Cortés more than held his own in Game 2 (5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER) and Game 5 (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER), giving the Yankees everything they could hope for in his first taste of the postseason.
However, after Cole threw 110 pitches on Sunday and Cortés worked on three days rest on Tuesday, there's a good chance we won't see either pitcher until Game 3.
The Astros have Justin Verlander lined up to start Game 1 on normal rest after they swept the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS and can then turn to some combination of Framber Valdez and Lance McCullers Jr. for the next two games. The Yankees will be forced to turn to Jameson Taillon in Game 1 and likely Luis Severino in Game 2.
Taillon allowed three hits and two earned runs without recording an out pitching in relief in Game 2 of the ALDS, while Severino started Game 3 and allowed eight hits and three earned runs in 5.2 innings.
To be fair, Verlander and Valdez were shaky in their own ALDS outings, but it's still far easier to bank on their success after brilliant regular seasons from both of them than it is to hope the back of the Yankees staff can avoid a 2-0 hole.
Aaron Judge vs. Houston Pitching
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 18: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees hits a home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the second inning in game five of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2022 in New York, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
For a guy who hit .311/.425/.686 with 62 home runs on the year, Aaron Judge sure has had a rough go of it facing the Astros pitching staff in 2022.
The towering slugger hit just .148/.258/.370 with two home runs in 31 plate appearances against Houston on the year, and his importance to the Yankees' offense can't be understated.
To that point, the Yankees went 39-12 (.765) in games where Judge homered this season, compared to 57-49 (.538) when he failed to go deep.
After going 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts in the first two games of the ALDS, Judge finally left the yard in Game 3 and Game 5.
That has provided some optimism that the team's most important hitter is getting things locked in just in time for this crucial ALCS matchup, but there's a tough task ahead in the Houston pitching staff.
A Lopsided Battle of the Bullpens
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 13: Rafael Montero #47 of the Houston Astros delivers a pitch against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning in game two of the American League Division Series at Minute Maid Park on October 13, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The Astros rotation receives plenty of attention, and deservedly so, but their biggest weapon might be the lights-out relief corps they've assembled behind those starters.
Houston relievers allowed just nine hits and one earned run in 20.1 innings during the ALDS, recording all three wins and nailing down the only save opportunity they saw.
The quintet of Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, Héctor Neris, Ryan Pressly and Ryne Stanek did not allow an earned run in 11 combined innings. Beyond that terrific group of traditional relievers, the team also has starters Luis Garica and Cristian Javier available out of the bullpen, as well as flame-throwing top prospect Hunter Brown who has looked more than ready for the big stage.
That's an impressive array of weapons to slam the door if the starters do their job, but things are a bit more precarious in the other dugout.
The Yankees have not had a go-to closer for much of the season.
Groundball machine Clay Holmes had a breakout season, but he was slowed by a shoulder injury down the stretch. Furthermore, manager Aaron Boone has not used him in back-to-back days since Sept. 13 and 14.
Both ALDS losses were credited to the Yankees bullpen, as well as a blown save by Clarke Schmidt in Game 3 when Holmes was unavailable.
Right-hander Jonathan Loáisiga has been reliable, and lefty Wandy Peralta appeared in all five ALDS games, but compared to Houston's staple of impact arms waiting in the bullpen, the Yankees relief corps looks like the unit that could decide the outcome of this series.
Final Prediction
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 15: Dusty Baker Jr. #12 of the Houston Astros celebrates alongside Bryan Abreu #52 after defeating the Seattle Mariners 1-0 in game three of the American League Division Series at T-Mobile Park on October 15, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
There has been no love lost between these two clubs since Houston's sign-stealing scandal was revealed, which had a direct impact on the Astros eliminating the Yankees in the 2017 ALCS en route to a World Series title.
Nothing would be sweeter for the Yankees than to return the favor with an ALCS ousting of their own, but they're facing an absolutely loaded Astros team with no rest or time to shuffle the pitching staff. The battle ahead is an uphill one, to say the least.
Prediction: Astros in 6
Yordan Alvarez's Walk-Off HR Stuns Twitter as Astros Beat Mariners in ALDS Game 1
Oct 11, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 11: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros hits a two-run double against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning in game one of the American League Division Series at Minute Maid Park on October 11, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Yordan Alvarez hit a game-winning, three-run home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning to help the Houston Astros overcome a 7-3 deficit to beat the Seattle Mariners 8-7 in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.
The Mariners tagged AL Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander for six earned runs and 10 hits through four innings to take a 6-2 lead.
Big hits included a Cal Raleigh RBI single, a Julio Rodríguez two-RBI double and a pair of Ty France RBI singles sandwiched around a J.P. Crawford solo home run.
The Astros and M's traded solo home runs courtesy of Yuli Gurriel and Eugenio Suárez, respectively, and Alex Bregman then cut the deficit to 7-5 in the eighth with a two-run blast.
The bottom of the ninth soon arrived, and the Astros got a pair of runners on base courtesy of a David Hensley hit-by-pitch and a Jeremy Peña single.
Alvarez then strolled up to the dish and smoked a Robbie Ray pitch 438 feet for the game-winner.
That was the first walkoff postseason homer since Joe Carter in 1993 to turn a deficit into a win. The 4th ever, joining Lenny Dykstra in the 1986 NLCS, Kirk Gibson in the '88 WS, and Carter.
It was a shocking game all around, from the Mariners' dominance of Verlander to the Astros' unlikely late comeback.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and many others reacted to the Alvarez bomb, the remarkable Astros win and the Mariners' stunning collapse.
Game 2 of the Mariners-Astros series will take place in Houston on Thursday at 3:37 p.m. ET. Framber Valdez will pitch for Houston, and the M's will send out Luis Castillo.
Astros Clinch Home-Field Advantage Throughout 2022 AL Playoffs with Yankees Loss
Oct 1, 2022
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 19: The Houston Astros celebrates winning the American League West Division following a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 19, 2022 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Having already locked up a division title, the Houston Astros secured home-field advantage for the American League playoffs Friday.
The Astros clinched the AL's best record thanks to the New York Yankees' 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
Houston sealed its sixth consecutive postseason berth on Sept. 16. It won the AL West three days later with a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. It marks the fifth division title in the past six years for the franchise.
While most of the attention in the AL this season was on the New York Yankees, the Astros quietly blew past them for the league's best record. They took advantage of the Pinstripers' second-half collapse to get there, but they have also been phenomenal with a 43-22 record since the All-Star break leading into Friday.
The Astros entered the All-Star weekend with a 59-32 record, 4.5 games behind the Yankees for the top spot. They moved into sole possession of first place on Aug. 12 and never looked back.
Houston has won at least 100 games for thefourth time since 2017. It had just one 100-win season in its first 54 years of existence from 1962-2016.
During this run of success, the Astros have had home-field advantage twice in the playoffs (2017 and 2019). They made it to the World Series both years, winning in 2017. They also got to the Fall Classic last year as the No. 2 seed in the AL but lost to the Atlanta Braves in six games.
The Astros are the only team in Major League Baseball with at least one playoff series win in each of the past five seasons. They can extend this run to six seasons by playing a majority of their games in the AL Division Series from the comforts of Minute Maid Park.
Jose Altuve, Astros Clinch 5th AL West Title in 6 Years with Win vs. Rays
Sep 20, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 22: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros celebrates with Alex Bregman #2 after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 22, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
The Houston Astros are champions of the American League West for the fifth time in six years.
They secured the division title with a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.
Houston found itself in a familiar position this offseason after Carlos Correa signed with the Minnesota Twins. A year earlier, George Springer bolted to join the Toronto Blue Jays, which followed Gerrit Cole signing a record-setting deal with the New York Yankees ahead of the 2020 campaign.
Some of the faces change, but the success remains the same. This year's Astros team has already improved upon its 95-67 record in 2021 and is poised to be the fifth squad in franchise history to hit 100 wins.
Yordan Alvarez has helped to offset Correa's absence offensively. The 2019 AL Rookie of the Year is enjoying a career year. Through 123 games, he has hit 37 home runs and posted a .304/.406/.626 slash line.
Alex Bregman has enjoyed a return to form as well. His .846 OPS and 140 OPS+ are on pace to be his highest since 2019.
That's to say nothing of the excellent contributions of Jose Altuve and Kyle Tucker.
As good as this offense is, pitching might be what propels Houston to the Fall Classic.
On the mound, Justin Verlander hasn't missed a beat after Tommy John surgery cost him the entire 2021 season. The two-time Cy Young winner is the MLB leader in ERA (1.78) and sports a 2.64 FIP and an 0.83 WHIP.
Verlander battled a calf injury recently and threw five no-hit innings in his first start back. It doesn't appear that will be much of an issue ahead of the postseason.
Framber Valdez has been the rotation's workhorse. The 28-year-old southpaw has logged 185.2 innings and gone the distance on three occasions. His 26 quality starts are the best across the majors.
As if finding a breakthrough against Verlander or Valdez isn't difficult enough, manager Dusty Baker can lean on Will Smith, Ryne Stanek, Hector Neris, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly in high-leverage situations.
The Astros are showing no signs of slowing down, and a third trip to the World Series in four seasons could be in the cards.
Astros Clinch 2022 MLB Playoff Spot with Win vs. A's, Orioles Loss
Sep 17, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 14: Alex Bregman #2 of the Houston Astros receives a high five from Yordan Alvarez #44 after hitting a two run home run in the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Minute Maid Park on August 14, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
The Houston Astros remain an unstoppable force in the American League.
After their 5-0win over the Oakland Athletics, combined with the Baltimore Orioles' 6-3loss on Friday, the Astros have clinched a playoff berth for the sixth consecutive year and seventh time in the past eight seasons.
"You've got to keep in perspective ... how hard it is to get to the playoffs and to stay on top like this for a while," ace Justin Verlander told reporters. "It's not easy. So I'm glad we were able to take a moment."
Yordan Alvarez led the charge Friday, mashing three home runs as part of a four-hit game.
"Hitting one home run feels great, imagine hitting three," Alvarez said. "Just a very special night."
The Astros have undergone significant roster changes in recent years. Key players have moved to different clubs, including Carlos Correa (Minnesota Twins), George Springer (Toronto Blue Jays) and Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees).
While those losses are significant, Houston's front office has also done a good job of signing several players to long-term contracts. Alex Bregman still has two years and $57 million remaining on the five-year deal he signed in March 2019.
Jose Altuve signed a five-year contract in 2018. Alvarez's six-year, $115 million extension signed in June looks like a massive bargain right now after he made his first All-Star team this season.
With the exception of Yankees star Aaron Judge, Alvarez has been arguably the best offensive player in Major League Baseball this year. The Cuban star ranks second in the AL in on-base percentage (.408), slugging percentage (.624) and homers (36).
Kyle Tucker followed up his breakout 2021 season with an All-Star appearance this year. The 25-year-old has posted a 20-20 campaign with 27 homers and 22 stolen bases.
The strength of Houston's roster this season is the pitching staff. The group leads MLB with 23.4 FanGraphs wins above replacement, ranks second in ERA (2.91) and fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.35).
Verlander, who only pitched one game in the previous two seasons due to Tommy John surgery, has returned in peak form at the age of 39. The right-hander is arguably the American League Cy Young favorite with a 1.78 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in 157 innings.
By surpassing the 130-inning mark, Verlander could decide to become a free agent this offseason. He signed a two-year, $50 million contract extension in December, but the second-year player option was contingent on him pitching at least 130 innings in 2022.
The Astros have great depth in their rotation behind Verlander. Framber Valdez is a ground-ball machine who is only allowing 7.0 hits per nine innings. Cristian Javier leads the team's starters with 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings.
If the pitching staff isn't dangerous enough on its own, the Astros also have the third-best defense in MLB by FanGraphs defensive value (29.9) and second in outs above average (24).
General manager James Click and the front office have done a remarkable job of evaluating talent. The players they bring in, either on their own via the draft or through trades, always seem to play at a high level.
All of the pieces have come together in spectacular fashion this season. They have already accomplished the first big goal of making the playoffs and will have an opportunity to compete for the World Series in October.
