Wednesday, Oct 6, 2021. 4:43 PM
The Boston Red Sox got off to a brilliant start to their fall tournament against the New York Yankees. Can they now play the same round at the Tampa Bay Rays, the American’s best team? And are the Chicago White Soxs equipped to show the Houston Astros out?
The answers to these questions will begin to be known as of Thursday, as the Red Sox will be at Tropicana Field to kick off their series against the Rays. The other series will kick off the next day at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
The Rays have had the upper hand in their streak against the Red Sox this season, winning 11 of 19 games between the two clubs, with their 11 victories coming in the last 15 matches. They mostly swept a series at the end of July that put them at the top of the section. They never left the top of the East American after that.
The same big guns of the Red Sox, seven hitters from 20 home runs or more, including three from 30 home runs or more, if you count Kyle Schwarber in that group, who posed a threat against the Yankees are obviously very present against the Rays. Except that by facing the Rays, the Red Sox no longer face a club that has generated 120 points less than them.
In fact, the Rays are the American team with the best points scored / points allowed ratio at 206 (857-651). Only the White Sox have allowed fewer points than them this season. The ingenuity of the Red Sox offense will have to be at its best to gain the upper hand.
Those points came from the sticks of Brandon Lowe, Austin Meadows, Mike Zunino and Randy Arozarena, among others, who together produced 236 points from 119 homers.
At the mound, the Rays will send Shane McLanahan, Shane Baz and possibly Drew Rasmussen as starters for the first three games of this best-of-five series. As for the Red Sox, we will respond with Eduardo Rodriguez in game 1. The rest remains to be confirmed. We can assume that Chris Sale, who did very well on his return to the game, will be the solution.
It is more in relief that the Rays seem to have a clear advantage, while the enclosure of the Red Sox has been in trouble throughout the season. Even against the Yankees: If Kike Hernandez and Xander Bogaerts don’t combine their efforts to pull off one of the games of the year in defense, maybe the outcome of this game is different.
Canadian Press Prediction: the Rays will do the “little things” better and end up winning after six games.
Can the White Sox eclipse the Astros?
For the first time in their history, the White Sox advance to the playoffs for a second consecutive year. After being ruled out in the first round of the playoffs by the Oakland Athletics last year, it looks no less tough against the Astros this season.
The Astros offer the Majors’ best offense with 863 points scored; the White Sox offer the American’s best defense, with just 636 points allowed. Difficult to separate the two clubs on these aspects.
At bat, the Astros have a formidable role: even after losing George Springer in the free agent market, the Texan team will send the Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Yuli Gurriel, Kyle Tucker and other Yordan Alvarez to the White Sox pitchers .
The Astros compiled the American’s best attacking average (.267) and attendance (. 339), in addition to coming in second in attendance / power average (.783) and third in power average (. , 444).
If the attack is less well furnished in Chicago, the White Sox nevertheless count on the formidable Jose Abreu (30 cc, 117 pp), Yasmani Grandal (, 420 presence), Tim Anderson (average of, 309, 94 points counted) and Luis Robert (, 338), who did very well on his return from hip surgery.
At the mound, the White Sox pitchers are first in strikeouts, earned runs and runs conceded, as well as hits allowed this season.
Lance Lynn, Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, as well as Carlos Rodon are all expected to be used by manager Tony La Russa.
On the Astros side, Dusty Baker has already named Lance McCullers Jr. and Framber Valdez to start the first two games in Houston.
The White Sox seem to have a slight advantage in relief, with Liam Hendriks and Craig Kimbrel, acquired from the Cubs, as end-of-game specialists, as well as the very efficient Michael Kopech.
Canadian Press Prediction: In a close series, the White Sox will reach the American Championship series.
