The stage is now set. For the second time in four seasons, the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros will meet in the American League Championship Series, with a berth in the Fall Classic on the line. Although Boston came out on top in 2018 en route to capturing the World Series, it should be a rather even matchup this time around that could very well go the distance.

The Red Sox absolutely raked as they knocked out the AL-best Tampa Bay Rays, while Houston thrived off the inexperience of the Chicago White Sox, eliminating them in just four games.

Here are 3 bold predictions for the ALCS, which begins on Friday.

ALCS Red Sox vs Astros Bold Predictions

3. Kike Hernandez continues historic postseason

While Boston swung the bats extremely well as a whole, Kike Hernandez was arguably one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. The former Dodger was scorching hot in the ALDS, hitting a mind-boggling .435 in four contests with two homers and 10 RBI's. He also drove in the game-winning run in Game 4 with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to walk it off. In fact, Hernandez had seven hits in seven at-bats for the Red Sox before lining out in the seventh inning on Monday, which is just short of an all-time record.

Yes, Tampa didn't exactly have top-tier arms in their rotation. Kevin Cash rolled out three rookies with limited experience at the big league level, but nonetheless, Hernandez is locked in. Boston needed a player to step up and put together a terrific individual performance in order to beat the Rays and Hernandez was that man. Although the Astros do possess some better starters in Lance McCullers Jr, Framber Valdez, and Luis Garcia, expect Hernandez to keep thriving at the plate. His confidence is sky-high right now and it frankly won't matter who is on the mound.

2. Offense will highlight the ALCS

The Red Sox hit an impressive .328 in the ALDS, scoring 26 runs in the last three games. Aside from Hernandez, Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, JD Martinez, and Alex Verdugo are swinging the bats better than ever. Hitting is contagious and clearly, this lineup is thriving off one another and getting it done. In the process, Alex Cora's squad also slugged 11 long balls in the opening series. Needless to say, their offense is frightening right now.

As for Houston, they had no problem scoring runs against the White Sox, either. The core of the Astros is stepping up when it matters most. Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Michael Brantley, and Jose Altuve are all hitting over .300 in the postseason right now. Keep in mind, the White Sox had a very good rotation as well. Yet, the playoff experience of Houston shined through, banging in the series-clincher on Tuesday in Chicago.

We're looking at two of the best offenses in baseball. While there are some very decent arms on each side, a lot of runs will be scored in the ALCS. In a nutshell, it's going to be a very entertaining series for fans.

1. Red Sox win in seven games

The way the Red Sox are playing right now is scary. They just beat the top team in the AL and will firmly believe the sky is the limit. On top of that, Boston has taken down the Astros before and knows what to expect from this team. Although the Red Sox dealt with some slumps throughout the season and COVID-19 outbreaks, they're hitting their stride at the perfect time. It's going to be a back and forth series, but ultimately, Boston will come out on top and advance to the World Series.