2023 American League Championship Series
| 2023 American League Championship Series | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Dates | October 15–23 | |||||||||
| Umpires | Jordan Baker, Dan Bellino, Doug Eddings, James Hoye (crew chief), Marvin Hudson, Mark Ripperger, Stu Scheurwater | |||||||||
| Broadcast | ||||||||||
| Television | Fox (Games 1–2, 7) FS1 (Games 3–7) | |||||||||
| TV announcers | Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci | |||||||||
| Radio | ESPN | |||||||||
| Radio announcers | Karl Ravech, Eduardo Pérez, and Tim Kurkjian | |||||||||
| Streaming | ||||||||||
| ALDS |
| |||||||||
| ||||||||||
The 2023 American League Championship Series is the best-of-seven playoff between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers for the American League (AL) pennant and the right to play in the 2023 World Series.
The series began on October 15 with a potential Game 7 scheduled for October 23. Fox and FS1 are televising all games in the United States.[1][2] It is the first-ever postseason meeting between the intra-state rivals, and first LCS of either league to be played entirely in one state (apart from the neutral-site matchups of the 2020 postseason, which were necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic).
Following the eliminations of division winners the Baltimore Orioles (AL East), Minnesota Twins (AL Central), Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West), and Atlanta Braves (NL East) in the Division Series and Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central) in the Wild Card Series, the Astros (AL West) are the only division winner to reach the League Championship Series this season.
Background
The Texas Rangers qualified for the postseason as the fifth seed wild card entrant. They finished the regular season 90–72, the same record as the Houston Astros but lost the head-to-head tiebreaker 9–4, thus they finished second place in the American League West division and locked as the fifth seed in the playoffs despite leading the division most of the season. In the Wild Card Series, they swept the Tampa Bay Rays; and in the Division Series, they swept the American League East division winner Baltimore Orioles to reach the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2011.[3][4]
The Houston Astros qualified for the postseason as the American League West division winner and the league's second seed. Houston clinched the division title for the third consecutive season, the sixth title in seven years, the second seed, and a bye from the Wild Card Series all on the final day of the season. In the Division Series, they defeated the American League Central division winner Minnesota Twins in four games for their seventh consecutive appearance in the ALCS, an American League record.
This series will be the first postseason meeting between the Astros and the Rangers, a rivalry known as the Lone Star Series, the first LCS to feature two teams from the same state, and the first ALCS not to feature a team from the AL East since 2011. This is also the first LCS matchup between two teams from the same division since 2011.[citation needed]
During the regular season, the Astros won nine of 13 head-to-head meetings with the Rangers and out-scored them 93–74 in those contests. While both teams had 90–72 records, the Rangers had the superior run differential (plus-165 to Houston's plus-129).[5]
In addition, the mayors of Houston and Arlington made a friendly wager that whichever mayor’s team lost the series would have to wear a jersey from the winning team to a city council meeting.[6]
Matchup
Texas Rangers vs Houston Astros
Texas leads the series, 1–0.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 15 | Texas Rangers – 2, Houston Astros – 0 | Minute Maid Park | 2:49 | 42,872[7] |
| 2 | October 16 | Texas Rangers at Houston Astros | Minute Maid Park | 4:37 p.m. ET | - |
| 3 | October 18 | Houston Astros at Texas Rangers | Globe Life Field | 8:03 p.m. ET | - |
| 4 | October 19 | Houston Astros at Texas Rangers | Globe Life Field | 8:03 p.m. ET | - |
| 5 | October 20† | Houston Astros at Texas Rangers | Globe Life Field | 5:07 p.m. ET | - |
| 6 | October 22† | Texas Rangers at Houston Astros | Minute Maid Park | 8:03 p.m. ET | - |
| 7 | October 23† | Texas Rangers at Houston Astros | Minute Maid Park | 8:03 p.m. ET | - |
† If necessary
Texas vs Houston
This is the first postseason meeting between Texas and Houston.
Game 1
[[File:Jordon-Montgomery-2022-Stl.png|right|upright|thumb|Jordan Montgomery, pictured with the St. Louis Cardinals, pitched six scoreless innings in Game 1.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Houston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP: Jordan Montgomery (1–0) LP: Justin Verlander (0–1) Sv: José Leclerc (1) Home runs: TEX: Leody Taveras (1) HOU: None Attendance: 42,872 Boxscore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the top of the second inning, Jonah Heim singled off Justin Verlander to score Evan Carter to lead off the Rangers 1–0. After walking Leody Taveras, Verlander escaped the bases-loaded jam with Marcus Semien popping out to Jose Altuve as he gave up a run. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Jordan Montgomery struck out Martin Maldonado to escape the bases-loaded jam and preserve a 1-run lead for the Rangers. In the top of the fifth, the Rangers extended their lead 2–0 due to a solo home run by Leody Taveras.
Game 2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Houston | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Starting pitchers: TEX: Nathan Eovaldi (0–0) HOU: Framber Valdez (0–0) Boxscore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Game 3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Starting pitchers: HOU: TBD TEX: TBD Boxscore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Game 4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Starting pitchers: HOU: TBD TEX: TBD Boxscore | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
References
- ^ "MLB announces 2023 Postseason schedule". MLB.com. August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ Gardner, Steve (August 8, 2023). "MLB unveils 2023 postseason schedule, World Series begins Oct. 27". USA Today. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ Yomtov, Jesse (October 10, 2023). "Moving on: Behind Nathan Eovaldi gem, Rangers sweep Orioles to reach first ALCS since 2011". USA Today. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
- ^ Axisa, Mike (October 10, 2023). "Rangers vs. Orioles score, highlights: Texas finishes off sweep, advances to ALCS for first time since 2011". CBS Sport. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
- ^ Perry, Dayn (October 12, 2023). "Astros vs. Rangers: ALCS schedule, dates, Game 1 prediction, pick, TV channel, odds, live stream". CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/news/astros-and-rangers-meet-for-texas-sized-showdown-in-al-championship-series
- ^ "Rangers 2, Astros 0 Final Score". MLB.com. October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.