The American League Central doesn't get much respect. Part of that is due to its history as one of baseball's “newer” divisions. The 2005 White Sox and 2015 Royals are the only two players to have won a World Series championship in 30 seasons in the AL Central Division. Neither were part of a lasting dynasty, and apart from them it was a complete shutout.
I think part of the reason for the neglect is that clubs in the Central Division of the AL are often overlooked in favor of the famous teams in the East and West divisions of the AL. There are yankees Of course the Red Sox, too. astros They have been baseball's main antagonist for the past decade, and the Rangers won last year's World Series. This is just to name a few teams. Even the relatively anonymous Rays sometimes garner more attention than similarly savvy organizations like the Guardians.
The 2024 White Sox set a modern-day record with 121 losses, helping set a new division record. But even that nightmare Pale Horse collapsing twins There is a possibility that this year's American League Central Division will be completely destroyed. Let's celebrate their achievements! Consider these facts about the American League Division Series.
- The defending division champion Guardians (92-69) finished with a better record than the AL West-leading Astros (88-73), earning them a first-round bye.
- Two of the three wild-card teams in this year's AL are from the AL Central Division, with the Royals and Tigers (both 86 wins and 76 losses), the Mariners, Rays, and defending champion Rangers all in the season. We beat a team that had much higher expectations in front of us. Boston did better than KC and Detroit at the All-Star break, but both outperformed the Red Sox.
- Detroit sent Houston home for the winter far earlier than any team since 2016. The Astros had advanced to the American League Championship Series for seven consecutive years, but the Tigers were led by former Astros skipper AJ Hinch. knocked them out They won back-to-back Wild Card Series, both held in Houston.
- As expected, the Astros were the bigger upset, but the Royals' overwhelming victory over the Orioles on the road was also a surprise. Baltimore was one of the dominant organizations in the game and actually had a better record than Houston (91-71). it doesn't matter!
So, is this the year of the AL Central? Should we stock up on Gates' barbecue, rectangular pizza, and whatever else Browns fans consume at tailgates? Three of the four remaining teams on the junior circuit are from the Midwest, but there's one giant left who can ruin the party, and that's exactly the kind of team Hollywood always picks as its villain.
New York Yankees (1) vs. Kansas City Royals (5)
Vincent Calchietta-Iman images
Game 1: Saturday, October 5th, 6:38pm ET, Yankee Stadium
Game 2: Monday, October 7th, 7:38pm ET, Yankee Stadium
Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 9, TBA, Kauffman Stadium
Game 4*: Thursday, October 10, TBA, Kauffman Stadium
Game 5*: Saturday, October 12th, TBA, Yankee Stadium
*If required. All games will be broadcast on TBS
Don't expect the Yankees and Royals to brawl like they used to in the playoffs when they really hated each other In the 70's. New York and Kansas City faced off in four of the five ALCS from 1976-1980, with the Yankees winning the first three games from 1976-78 and KC having the last laugh with a sweep in 1980. This is a quartet of memorable series. From Chris Chambliss Step towards the pennant Yankees fans storm the field as George Brett drops the hammer. Hit a spectacular home run off Goose Gossage. It was a really great showdown that silenced the Bronx. Now, the Yankees and Royals are back together for the first time in 44 years, and this time it will be decided who will advance to the 2024 ALCS.
The Yankees weren't a powerhouse this season, but their record of 94 wins and 68 losses was good enough to lead the American League and earn a first-round bye to the ALDS. They were likely to play the Orioles, but the Royals I had another idea. Kansas City hadn't made the playoffs since winning it all in 2015, but captain Salvador Perez is the only remaining player from the championship club and a brand new group of Royals (other than a few imported veterans). are thriving in their first postseason.
Perez and rising superstar Bobby Witt Jr. anchor Kansas City's lineup, which has been a weak point over the past month. The team was without first baseman Vinny Pascantino, sidelined with a broken thumb, and KC posted an MLB-worst OPS of .577 in September. Pascantino returned to the ALDS, but honestly, the Royals advanced despite the offense. Corbin Burnes and the Baltimore pitching staff held them to just three runs in 18 innings. (Unsurprisingly, both hits came from Witt, the game-winner.) It's going to take more than that up and down the lineup to beat the Yankees, as the pitchers will need to defend their defense in the Series. It may be unreasonable to ask them to record a rate of 0.50 again. task.
At the same time, the Royals at least have a starter who is rolling. Co-aces Cole Lagance and Seth Lugo are already being discussed in this area and will have to wait until Games 2 and 3, but Michael Wacha, the AL Cy Young Award winner from last year It will be a fascinating matchup in the first match against winner Gerrit Cole.
Since the lineup changes from year to year, there are discrepancies in matchup results, but Wacha is familiar with the Yankees from his two years in the AL East with the Rays and Red Sox from 2021 to 2022. The 33-year-old has held the Yankees to a 1.94 ERA in 41.2 innings since the start of 2021. succeeded He faced both Aaron Judge and leadoff hitter Gleyber Torres. Lagance and Lugo were in charge of the Yankees again this year. In particular, Lugo shut out over seven opponents and struck out 10 against the Bronx on September 10th. KC's bullpen should be feeling good after shutting out the O's in 7.2 slots in the Wild Card Series, as closer Lucas Erceg recorded saves in both contests.
That's right, the underdog has a legitimate chance to knock out the heavyweight. Was this section of the preview all about trying to find a way to upset the Royals? Hey. With the Yankee Stadium crowd energized and Judge and Juan Soto running wild, does it feel at least a little more likely that the big, bad Yankees will beat the big guys? yes.
However, not everything will be star-driven. Cole will only start two games, so Carlos Rodon, Lewis Hill and the top and bottom bullpens will have to do their part. And if Kansas City is going to center Judge and Soto, someone else will need to step up. That could be Rookie of the Year candidate Austin Wells, or Giancarlo Stanton, who has 11 home runs and a .963 OPS in 27 playoff games. Well, maybe Alex Verdugo will have a moment like this after the season ends. didn't like him very much To a loyal Yankees fan (but who adored him in the clubhouse).
The Royals have already exceeded expectations. All the pressure is on the Yankees. The Yankees haven't even advanced to the World Series in their last 10 playoff games since 2009. The remaining five games are under manager Aaron Boone. The front office really likes him, but if New York gets into trouble. another Suffice it to say, if you gut punch them in the postseason, win the pennant, and get bounced in the first round, the people calling WFAN will be even more unhappy than usual. . And they may be justified.
Cleveland Guardians (2) vs. Detroit Tigers (6)
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Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire, Getty Images
Game 1: Saturday, October 5th, 1:08pm ET, Progressive Field.
Game 2: Monday, October 7th, 4:08pm ET, Progressive Field
Game 3: Wednesday, October 9, TBA, Comerica Park
Game 4*: Thursday, October 10, TBA, Comerica Park
Game 5*: October 12th (Saturday) TBA, Progressive Field
*If required. All games will be broadcast on TBS
Unlike Yankees vs. Royals, this Guardians vs. Tigers ALDS is an entirely new matchup never seen before in the postseason. This is partially by design, as the wild card didn't exist until the 1995 playoffs, and these two teams shared the same division for decades. But it's also unusual for Cleveland and Detroit to be doing so well at the same time. The two teams have only met once in the postseason, in 2013 (wild card matchup between Cleveland and Tampa Bay).
If the Tigers were the surprise story in the second half, the Guardians lived up to expectations in the first half. The Twins are the favorites to repeat as AL Central Division champions, and the Guardians finished 16 games into 2023 with a worse record than when they won the division in 2022. Off to a blazing hot start under first-year captain Stephen Vogt, Cleveland took control from the jump and never let go. That allowed the Guardians to watch the Tigers' progress from mid-season with interest, rather than fear of being overtaken. While the Tigers were busy trading Jack Flaherty, Cleveland ended a 7-6 season series with Detroit at the July 30 trade deadline. They haven't played against each other since Detroit's urban planning began. Rapid increase in mid-August.
What's interesting about this matchup is that there aren't that many major characters on the mound. Tariq Skubal, the AL Cy Young Award frontrunner, is an obvious candidate, but like the Reagans in the Yankees/Royals series, he won't pitch until Game 2. Skubal's starting role will feel like a must-have, just like he did as a wild-card starter against Houston. – “Win for”pitching confusion” Gritty Tiggs. After Game 1 starter Tanner Bibby, the Guardians have a pitching staff of their own that rivals Detroit, as there will be a ton of bullpen pitching throughout the series, even if Matthew Boyd and Alex Even if Cobb were to start, it probably wouldn't last long.
If you're a casual fan and confused about whether Detroit or Cleveland will pitch at that moment, don't despair. Even baseball fanatics like us are familiar with their relief pitchers. So here's an overview of some of the names you might come across.
- Tim Herrin
- Leo D'Amato
- Cade Smith
- Sean Guenther
- charlie stone
- Ty Madden
- andrew walters
- Eli Morgan
There are two minor things veronica mars There are letters mixed in there. It blends in too well.
Anonymous or not, these bullpens have been effective and over the last two months of 2024. There's no one in AL They had a better relief corps than either Detroit or Cleveland. The Tigers' pitching relies on Penn even more than the Guardians, but given the urgency of the postseason, don't be shocked if Vogt has a quick hook. The bullpen has been a strength for Cleveland all year long, and this ALDS schedule allows them to take advantage of their off days. Vogt's job is to somehow get the ball to Emmanuel Clase, who has a lead, and force the man with a 0.61 ERA and 0.655 WHIP to close the door.
Hats off to Tigers All-Star Riley Greene (it goes without saying) Andy Ibañez and Parker MeadowsWild Card Heroics), the Guardians have the better offense here. Jose Ramirez will likely secure his fifth career top-5 MVP finish without taking home the honor, Josh Naylor has 30 home run power and rookie Kyle Mansardo will be on fire in September. Lane Thomas, who was acquired at the trade deadline, has improved as well and looked to be at his best, and Steven Kwan is the definition of a pest at the plate. For Kwan, the only question will be how his hip is doing, since inflammation has forced him to miss all but two games since mid-September.
No matter what happens, a team that few expected will be playing for a spot in the World Series. According to FanGraphs, the odds of the Guardians or Tigers winning the pennant on opening day were both combined. 6 percent. That probability has now risen to 41.4% and will be even higher for either of these teams within a week. In the words of a legendary sci-fi pilot, you should never tell them the odds.
