The five-day layoff between the Astros' last regular-season game Wednesday against the Phillies and Tuesday's Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Mariners at Minute Maid Park will mark Houston's longest stretch without playing a game since the start of Grapefruit League play in mid-March. That's the perk of having the top seed in the American League and getting a bye into the ALDS. Or is it a perk? That remains to be seen. This year's expanded playoff format allowed the two division winners with the best records to skip the Wild Card Series, so there's no precedent on how the layoff will affect the Astros and Yankees in the AL or the Dodgers and Braves in the National League. "None of the teams with a bye have played yet, so we'll find out pretty quickly if it was good or bad," Astros reliever Ryne Stanek said. "From the physical part of it, being able to rest up and align pitching the way you want and get guys who may have been dinged up a little bit of rest and some time, that's great. We'll see. It's interesting." |
The Astros worked out at Minute Maid Park for four of the five days, with pitchers trying to stay sharp by throwing live batting practice and in the bullpen. The position players have hit daily on the field and in the cage and taken ground balls on the field. "Our strength and conditioning team has done a great job getting us on the field and getting our running in, making sure we're staying on it," Astros third baseman Alex Bregman said. "It's been nice for some of our pitchers who have thrown a lot during the season to get a little bit of a breather. Now it's back to playing against a very good ballclub." The Astros went 12-7 against the Mariners in the regular season but haven't faced them since sweeping them in Seattle after the All-Star break. That was before pitcher Luis Castillo -- who might start Game 2 -- had been acquired in a trade. And Mariners slugger Mitch Haniger played in one game against the Astros this year. "When they were under .500 earlier, everybody was concerned, and I told them that they were going to be here because I know they got talent," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. "It's a long race, and they were without Haniger and now they have added Castillo. Those are two big weapons. But they're the same, good, well-motivated team they were before. They know us pretty well and we know them pretty well, so, hey, it's going to be a great series." Since 2019, the Astros have won 30 of their 37 games against the Mariners at Minute Maid Park, outscoring them 234-103 in those games. |
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TRIVIA Which closer has the most postseason saves in Astros history? A.) Brad Lidge B.) Ryan Pressly C.) Luke Gregerson D.) Roberto Osuna |
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR GAME 1 |
Two of baseball's top rookies figure to play key roles in the ALDS -- Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña and Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez. Peña was the early favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year Award before Rodriguez burst onto the scene and made the All-Star Game. He should win the award rather easily. Peña and Rodriguez are also friends and have remained in touch throughout the season. "We played in the Arizona Fall League and we kept our relationship going from there," Peña said. "Even in winter ball, we faced each other and always been in contact. It will be a good series." Peña, who hit .253 with 22 homers, 63 RBIs and had 16 defensive runs saved (second in the AL at shortstop), said his recent interactions with Rodriguez haven't been about baseball. |
"It's 'How you doing, how's the family?'" he said. "He's going to go out and give his best and I'm going to go out and give my best. On the field, we're going to try to beat each other. It's going to be a fun series." Rodriguez slashed .284/.345/.509 with 28 homers, 75 RBIs and 25 stolen bases for the Mariners this year and is one of the game's up-and-coming stars at 21 years old. "He's had an amazing season," Peña said. "I'm happy for him. He deserves everything. He puts in the work and he's a great kid as well. It's cool to see." |
DUSTY BAKER QUOTE OF THE WEEK |
"The full moon's in a couple of days, which I believe in that power. I'm confident, but hey, we' got some tough teams, some tough work. We put ourselves in a position with home-field position to have the best odds you can have." -- Baker, last week when looking forward to the playoffs. |
THIS WEEK IN ASTROS HISTORY Oct. 13, 2019 |
In Game 2 of the ALCS against the Yankees, Carlos Correa hit a walk-off winner to right field off the Yankees' J.A. Happ to even the series. Correa cupped his hand around his ear as he rounded third base, which would become a trademark for him. The homer also had a special personal meaning for Correa, who dedicated the swing to 17-year-old cancer patient Jalen Garcia in Houston. "For me, hitting the homer was special because, obviously, it tied the series 1-1," Correa said. "We were at home and we couldn't afford to lose two games. And also it brought happiness to a kid that was going through a tough time and wasn't smiling very often. It was special. That was a fastball, like up middle-away-ish. I hit it to right field." |
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TRIVIA ANSWER A.) Brad Lidge |
Lidge saved six games in the playoffs with the Astros in 2004-05, one ahead of Pressly's five saves. Lidge saved Games 2, 3 and 4 of the 2005 NLCS against the Cardinals but suffered a blown save in Game 5 when Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols hit a stunning game-winning homer in the ninth inning at Minute Maid Park to extend the series to six games. |
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