If there's any team that should be well-equipped to handle a hostile road environment, it's the Astros. Houston has played in 40 postseason road games since the start of the 2015, including clinching the 2017 World Series at Dodger Stadium, going 3-0 at Nationals Park during the 2019 World Series and clinching Division Series on the road vs. the Red Sox (2017), Guardians (2018) and White Sox (2021). The Astros went 51-30 on the road in the regular season, which was the second-best road record in Major League Baseball this year behind the Dodgers. And the Astros were typically greeted by loud boos by road fans who clearly haven't gotten over the sign-stealing saga that broke in 2019. That should help them deal with what figures to be a hostile crowd in Saturday's Game 3 of the AL Division Series against the Mariners, who are hosting their first playoff game in 21 years. "Well, once the game starts, it's the same baseball," manager Dusty Baker said. "You can let pressure get to you, but it really serves no purpose. So like I said before, he who relaxes the most, is the most determined and concentrates the most is the one that usually will have success. We're not counting success yet until after this series is over, and then we'll start a new series hopefully." |
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| The ALDS will be carried on TBS at 3:07 p.m. CT. All games are available in the US on MLB.TV (authentication to a participating Pay TV provider is required). Live games are also available in select countries outside the US. For full details, click here. Probable starters Astros: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. Mariners: RHP George Kirby Projected lineups |
- Jose Altuve, 2B
- Jeremy Peña, SS
- Yordan Alvarez, LF
- Alex Bregman, 3B
- Kyle Tucker, RF
- Yuli Gurriel, 1B
- Trey Mancini, DH
- Chas McCormick, CF
- Christian Vázquez, C
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- Julio Rodríguez, CF
- Ty France, 1B
- Eugenio Suárez, 3B
- Cal Raleigh, C
- Mitch Haniger, RF
- Carlos Santana, DH
- Jarred Kelenic, LF
- Adam Frazier, 2B
- J.P. Crawford, SS
More information on Game 3 can be found here.
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Astros: Houston doesn't have much history against Kirby -- Vázquez (2-for-4) and Mancini (1-for-5) are the only batters with more than two at-bats against him. Vázquez might get his first postseason start with the Astros; he has worked with McCullers once this year. McCormick started Game 1, so does he get the call in center field again? One thing is known for sure: The first six batters in the order likely won't change.
Mariners: Facing the righty McCullers, manager Scott Servais will revert to a lineup similar to what he deployed earlier this postseason, bringing Raleigh back into the cleanup spot and putting Haniger ahead of the switch-hitting Santana. It worked well in their two-game Wild Card Series sweep in Toronto and against Justin Verlander in Game 1.
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Astros: McCullers (4-2, 2.27 in the regular season) was limited to eight starts due to a right flexor tendon injury, but he racked up 50 strikeouts and posted a .215 opponent average upon his return. McCullers has extensive postseason experience, going 2-2 with a save and a 2.83 ERA over 16 games (9 starts). He pitched twice in the 2021 ALDS vs. the White Sox prior to the flexor tendon injury and posted a 0.84 ERA in two Astros wins. He ranks second in club history in postseason innings pitched (57 1/3), trailing only Verlander (93 1/3). McCullers is 10-3 with a 2.80 ERA in 18 career starts vs. the Mariners.
Mariners: Kirby (8-5, 3.39 ERA in regular season) will make his first postseason start. The right-hander made his playoff debut in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series, earning the save in his first Major League relief appearance. Kirby has made one career start vs. Houston, allowing two runs on four hits over four innings with one walk and seven strikeouts on July 31. Kirby's 7.79 K/BB ratio through his first 20 starts is the highest in AL/NL history, excluding openers.
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Astros: Considering Friday is an off-day, the Astros' bullpen will be well-rested. Baker has yet to use his best reliever -- Ryne Stanek -- in either of the first two games. Stanek has not pitched since Oct. 5. If the Astros can get six innings out of McCullers, they will have all four of their main high-leverage relievers lined up – Rafael Montero, Héctor Neris, Stanek and Pressly. If McCullers doesn't pitch deep, starters-turned-relievers Hunter Brown, José Urquidy and Luis Garcia should be ready.
Mariners: Servais only used reliever Andrés Muñoz in Game 2. With an off-day Friday, this 'pen should be rested for Game 3. Yet Muñoz has been tagged for a 5.79 ERA while pitching in all four of Seattle's playoff games. Servais made it no secret that for the Mariners to advance, they'd need Muñoz and Paul Sewald to be at their best, and so far, both have stumbled in this ALDS. As for Robbie Ray, it seems wildly unlikely that he'll be used again in this series after his Game 1 walk-off followed three disastrous starts against Houston during the regular season.
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Astros: Alvarez -- who else? He's 4-for-8 with two go-ahead homers and seven RBIs in the first two games of the ALDS. Peña went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk as he collected three hits through his first two career postseason games. Altuve is 0-for-8 through two ALDS games.
Mariners: Rodríguez went 1-for-5 in Game 2, but his hit was a 115.8 mph double, the hardest-hit ball of the game. He's pumped to play in front of the home fans and has already shown that he's wired for these big moments. As for who's not, it's been the bullpen, which surrendered six runs across the first two games of the series.
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• The Astros have won 11 consecutive ALDS games at Minute Maid Park dating back to 2017. It is the longest home ALDS streak in history. • Bregman has 63 career postseason hits, tying Mark Lemke for sixth all-time among third basemen in MLB history. • Alvarez is one of three players in history to hit multiple go-ahead homers in the sixth inning or later in a single Division Series. The others: Troy Glaus (2002) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1995). • The Astros have never lost a Division Series (5-0) after winning the first two games. |
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