Astros star Jose Altuve expecting fierce tussle against Rangers in ALCS - "It's one of the biggest series we have played"
Houston Astros star Jose Altuve knows just how good of a team the Texas Rangers are. It is not a fluke that they have reached the ALCS, as they have been one of the hottest teams in the league.
Players like Adolis Garcia, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Evan Carter have made their presence known. This offense has not had any trouble scoring lately, and they are looking to continue this trend.
The Rangers will also have Max Scherzer in the starting rotation. Scherzer has not pitched since Sept. 13 but feels healthy enough to give it a go. This will likely be a close matchup, and Altuve spoke to the media about how good the Rangers are.
"It's one of the biggest series we have played," Altuve said.
Jose Altuve is not overlooking the Rangers. He understands how important this series is, as the Astros are looking to repeat as World Series champions. They will undoubtedly have their work cut out to accomplish this goal.
Houston will have to be at its best. It was announced Saturday that reliever Kendall Graveman will not be on the ALCS roster. This puts more significant pressure on the starters to give the team quality starts.
Fortunately for Houston, it has a stellar starting rotation. Justin Verlander will get his 14th Game 1 start of his career, and there's nobody better to hand the ball to and start the series.
Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros will rely on their experience
This is the Astros' seventh straight season making it to the ALCS. They have been one of the most consistent teams the league has seen in recent years, with Jose Altuve leading the way.
This could be a key advantage Houston has over Texas. This is the first time the Rangers have made it this far since 2011. The roster has little experience in the postseason, but that has not stopped it yet.
This is the first postseason meeting between the two teams. The series will likely come down to who can pitch better, as both team's offenses have been stellar this year, scoring runs in bunches.
Since 2010, the battle between these two teams has been deadlocked. They have played 212 games against each other, with each side winning 106 games.
Will Houston's experience guide it back to the World Series, or has it met its match in this series?