The Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros will once again meet in the American League Championship Series, a rematch of their 2018 series in which the Red Sox defeated Houston 4-1 and would ultimately win the World Series.
This is the fifth-straight ALCS trip for the Astros, who are no doubt on a revenge tour to prove their legitimate dominance following their sign-stealing scandal of the past few years. Even with that cloud continuing to hang over the franchise to some degree, there's no denying the talent on Houston's roster; led by second baseman Jose Altuve.
No matter where you fall on the Astros' legacy, it's pretty incredible to consider Altuve is now tied for the fourth-most postseason home runs in MLB history with 19. This team has considerable longevity at this point, and baseball fans everywhere will just have to come to grips with that.
Though they have essentially escaped any public scorn, the Red Sox are also known cheaters from the same time period. Red Sox manager Alex Cora was the Astros bench coach in 2017 and brought their sign-stealing tactics to Boston in 2018, which included using the replay room's live video feed to relay signs to the hitters. The Red Sox also went so far as to relay the stolen signs to an Apple Watch in the dugout, whereas the Astros used the infamous trash cans.
The Red Sox scandal resulted in a firing and year-long suspension for Cora – along with plenty of fallout on the Houston side. He was ultimately brought back to the organization after Boston's last-place finish in the shortened 2020 season.
In other words, this isn't exactly the matchup the baseball world was hoping for. But the fact remains these are two great teams playing in what should be a paradise for fans who love offense.
The Red Sox pitching staff hasn't exactly been a strength all season, so Boston will be relying on its lineup to carry them. Not a bad thing to consider when you scored the fifth-most runs in baseball during the season – and that certainly wasn't an issue in the ALDS, when Boston pummeled Tampa Bay pitching over the final three games. Plus, it sounds like designated hitter J.D. Martinez's left ankle is feeling much better, which is a great sign as well. Martinez injured himself tripping over second base in the final game of the regular season. Weird baseball injuries never take a day off.
On the flip side, Astros ace Lance McCullers Jr. has been left off the ALCS roster after experiencing forearm discomfort in his last start against the Chicago White Sox. Zack Greinke is being used primarily in a relief role after recently returning from the injured list with neck soreness, meaning Houston will have to rely on the rest of its young pitching staff to get them over the hump.
Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia and Jose Urquidy will be the three main pitchers tasked with filling the void, while veteran Jake Odorizzi may make a start if needed. Greinke could also potentially serve as an opener if the team wanted to go that route.
Ultimately, the powerful Astros offense and its surprisingly deep pitching staff should carry them into the World Series. With any luck, the Los Angeles Dodgers will come out of the National League, and baseball fans will be treated to an incredible rematch of the 2017 World Series – you know, the one where the Astros were at the height of their sign-stealing ways, beating Los Angeles in seven games.
Surely there is plenty of animosity still left over from that series, so from a fan's perspective, that's the remaining marquee matchup to see.
In the meantime, expect plenty of fireworks on offense in the ALCS.
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