In the years before the Houston Astros joined the American League, the winner of their annual interleague series with the Texas Rangers received the Silver Boot. The prize of this latest clash between the two teams, in the American League Championship Series, will count for much more: A berth in the World Series.
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The first postseason meeting between the two Texas rivals figures to be riveting. The defending champion Astros owned the Rangers during the regular season. Houston defeated Texas in nine of their 13 meetings and snatched away the American League West crown on the final day of the regular season. But the Rangers were undeterred about playing in the Wild Card round. Texas is 5-0 this postseason after sweeping Tampa Bay and demolishing Baltimore.
The Astros made quick work of Minnesota in their first round. Houston’s cast looks quite familiar: A midseason trade brought back Justin Verlander; the lineup still revolves around Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez; Ryan Pressly still anchors a dynamic bullpen. The Rangers will counter with star power of their own. Corey Seager has made his $300 million contract look like a bargain. The starting rotation could get stronger if midseason acquisition Max Scherzer returns from injury. Even if Scherzer cannot answer the bell, the duo of Jordan Montgomery and Nathan Eovaldi will look to stand tall against the defending champs.
The Silver Boot Series has never meant more. — Andy McCullough
Game times
Game 1: Rangers at Astros, Sunday, Oct. 15, 8:15 p.m. ET, FOX
Game 2: Rangers at Astros, Monday, Oct. 16, 4:37 p.m. ET, FOX
Game 3: Astros at Rangers, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 8:03 p.m. ET, FOX
Game 4: Astros at Rangers, Thursday, Oct. 19, 8:03 p.m. ET, FOX
Game 5: Astros at Rangers, Friday, Oct. 20, 5:07 p.m. ET, FOX (if necessary)
Game 6: Rangers at Astros, Sunday, Oct. 22, 8:03 p.m. ET, FOX (if necessary)
Game 7: Rangers at Astros, Monday, Oct. 23, 8:03 p.m. ET, FOX (if necessary)
Tale of the Tape
| Player | POS | KEY STATISTICS | WAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lineup | DH/OF | 31 HR, .407 OBP, .415 WOBA, | 4.5 | |
Rotation | LHP | 3.45 ERA, 0.86 HR/9 | 4.3 | |
Bullpen | RHP | 1.75 ERA, 34.8 K% | 1.5 | |
Fielding | SS | DRS 7, UZR 1.2 | 2.8 |
| Player | POS | KEY STATISTICS | WAR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lineup | 2B | 162 G, 29 HR, 40 2B | 6.3 | |
Rotation | RHP | 3.63 ERA, 0.94 HR/9 | 2.5 | |
Bullpen | RHP | 2.68 ERA, 0.79 HR/9 | 0.9 | |
Fielding | 2B | 16 DRS, 5.8 UZR | 6.3 |
Pitching matchups
Here’s a thing that might surprise: By Wins Above Replacement, the Rangers and Astros had equally productive pitching staffs this year. Of course, the Rangers’ rotation was better, and the Astros’ pen was better, but man is that just weird. And pretty much irrelevant, given the twists and turns these rosters have taken.
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Another weird thing, given what people thought of these pitching staffs going into the postseason: So far in these playoffs, Texas pitchers have a collective ERA that’s a run lower than the Astros’ arms. The Rangers bullpen in particular was oft-disparaged, but José Leclerc, Aroldis Chapman, Josh Sborz and Cody Bradford have combined for 13 2/3 innings and one run allowed. Not as fearsome as Bryan Abreu, Pressly and Hector Neris in reputation, but they’ve been matching the Astros in results so far.
Will Scherzer pitch in this series? If he does, the Rangers have an almost-perfect match for Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier, especially with Nathan Eovaldi back up to 96 mph in his last start. If Scherzer doesn’t pitch, everyone has to move a chair up, and the needle points to the Astros.
The playoffs keep teaching us that most of what these teams have done before, most of what they’ve done all season, and maybe even most of what they did in the last series doesn’t matter much. One of the five worst bullpens in the league can be a strength over seven games. One of the most dependable lefty sinker ballers in the game can completely lose his command and get blown up. A righty who struggled all year can walk five in five innings and shrug them off to go scoreless anyway. The Rangers’ injured ace could return, and the Astros could still win, perhaps due to a pitching advantage.
Here’s to good watching, though, as the Battle for Texas begins. — Eno Sarris
Why the Rangers will win
Seen this team play recently? The Rangers are 5-0 in the postseason. They just systematically dismantled the two winningest teams in the American League. Their vaunted offense is clicking. And more importantly, their pitching has thus far met the moment. The Rangers will enter the ALCS with a fully rested pitching staff, including Jordan Montgomery and Nathan Eovaldi primed to start early in the series. The Rangers could also get Max Scherzer and/or Jon Gray back to aid their pitching depth in this series. Texas starters have a 2.22 ERA, and the bullpen has a 2.16 ERA so far in these playoffs. If their pitching can continue to exceed expectations, they will be difficult to beat. — Cody Stavenhagen
Why the Astros will win
It’s October, so expecting anything other than a Houston win seems silly. The Astros handled the Rangers during the regular season, but never saw them clicking quite like they are now. Clutch starts by José Urquidy and Cristian Javier during the ALDS offered some hope that Houston’s starting rotation isn’t as suspect as it seemed when the season ended. José Abreu’s emergence in the ALDS, coupled with Yordan Alvarez’s continued excellence, makes the middle of the Astros’ order potentially terrifying. The Rangers navigated both Tampa Bay and Baltimore’s lineups with relative ease, but the Astros present a different challenge entirely. Playoff experience and power appear up and down the order, one that must be firing on all cylinders for Houston to capture its third consecutive pennant — Chandler Rome
| TEAM | PERCENTAGE OF VOTES |
|---|---|
61% | |
39% |
Rangers must-reads
Corey Seager signed up for Rangers’ big-money vision. Now it’s coming to fruition
Rosenthal: With Rangers’ sweep, Nathan Eovaldi sets up ‘best-case scenario’ for Texas pitchers
Law: What I got wrong about Rangers starter Jordan Montgomery
Steady as ever, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy is back where he belongs: October
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Rise of Rangers’ rookie sensation Evan Carter begins with a basement batting cage
Astros must-reads
Cristian Javier returns to his methodical postseason form to deliver Astros Game 3 win
Yordan Alvarez remains unstoppable in the playoffs: ‘He’s by far the best I’ve seen’
‘This is our division’: Astros win AL West via seemingly inevitable late surge
‘Jim Crane keeps his word’: Astros owner shows he’s always in win-now mode
Astros feast on beleaguered Rangers bullpen in key Silver Boot Series opener
(Top photo of Justin Verlander: Bob Levey / Getty Images; Photo of Corey Seager: Greg Fiume / Getty Images)