Last regular season series starts tonight... 9/28 6:10 pm, Brad Peacock vs Eduardo Rodriguez 9/29 6:10 pm, Charlie Morton vs. Doug Fister 9/30 12:05 pm, Lance McCullers Jr. vs Drew Pomeranz (nationally televised on FOX) 10/1 2:05 pm, Colin McHugh vs Chris Sale All games with the exception of 9/30 on ATTSW. Astros have already clinched at least the #2 seed and homefield advantage in the ALDS. 1 gb of Cleveland for #1.
So Cleveland won this afternoon. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only way the Astros get the #1 seed is go to 4-0 and have Cleveland go 1-2. So it looks like the 'Stros motivation is just to play good ball and maybe force Boston into a 163rd game.
This. If Boston hasn't clinched by Sunday, they will be forced to throw Chris Sale... which would make him unavailable for any possible tie-breaker game and game 1 of the ALDS (unless he goes on 3 day rest).
Well, they could go 0-3, then we'd only have to go 3-1. Our only real incentive to win the games is to help the Yankees catch the Red Sox, and 163rd game would be the best outcome (with Boston winning and Sale starting).
I just want us to try and win every game. Let the other chips fall as they may. I just hope our offense didn't blow their entire wad in Arlington.
Would there be a 163rd game? Maybe they have changed the rules since the Astros and Cardinals finished with the same record in 2001. Astros had the tie breaker that year and won the division and the Cardinals got the Wild Card. Didn't stop the Cardinals from putting up a co-champions banner though.