By Brian McTaggart | October 5, 2023
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HOUSTON – The Minnesota Twins are about so much more than just Carlos Correa, the former Astros star shortstop who had more than a few indelible postseason moments during his time in Houston’s uniform. The Twins can pitch to anyone, they have power throughout the lineup and have one of the toughest closers in the game. The Astros know the challenge that awaits them in the American League Division Series.
Astros manager Dusty Baker watched the Twins win over the Blue Jays in the AL Wild Card Series and said his club will have its hands full against the AL Central champions. Three wins over the Twins in the next five games would lead the Astros to their seventh straight AL Championship Series – a remarkable streak that culminated with World Series titles in 2017 and 2022.
“Nobody gave them a chance to beat Toronto, I don’t think,” Baker said Thursday. “They have good pitching, good defense and a lot of lefties, which is a problem. You have a good manager. I mean, they’re a good team.”
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Not that the Astros need reminding, considering the Twins played four of six meetings in Houston during the regular season. However, the clubs have not met since May 31, and Minnesota has not yet lined up Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez or Cristian Javier this year – likely the Astros’ top three starters.
• Astros-Twins breakdown by position
“You haven’t really seen the real Astros,” Houston general manager Dana Brown said, adding: “They look real in the postseason – the starters and backups have been really good, they’ve got some firepower, the young kid, Royce Lewis is really good. Game 1 is a big game. I think if you make Game 1, you’re in the driver’s seat.”
The Astros have an 18-5 all-time record in the ALDS, including 6-1 in openers. All but two of those first games were at home, with Houston winning Game 1 at Kansas City in 2015 and defeating the A’s in 2020 in a game played at Dodger Stadium because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Houston will look to regain its home-field advantage after a 39-42 record – the first team to lose at home and win its division since the Braves in 2001. The Astros have an 11-0 record in 17 ALDS games at Minute Maid Park.
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“It’s time to redeem ourselves,” Astros outfielder Chas McCormick said. “In the end we didn’t play that well, but we always enjoy playing here. It’s a good time to win a few games here, gain some momentum and get an advantage somewhere. …We definitely have to show up because the Twins are going to come here and play their butts off. We have to be focused and 100 percent prepared.”
• Can Javier pitch like he did in the 2022 postseason?
With five days off since the end of the regular season, the Astros have been able to improve their pitching. Verlander will start Game 1 on Saturday, and lefty Valdez will start on Sunday. Javier is the likely Game 3 starter, although this is not official. Houston’s ability to limit the damage against the Twins’ lefties — including Max Kepler, Edouard Julien, Matt Wallner and Willi Castro — will be a key theme of the series, especially since Valdez may be the only southpaw on Houston’s roster.
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Twins pitchers led the major leagues in strikeouts with 1,560, led by Pablo López with 234. He faced the Astros just once in his career and is Minnesota’s likely Game 2 starter after striking out in Tuesday’s Wild Card Series opener made a pitch. Sonny Gray, who started Wednesday’s crucial Wild Card tournament, is likely to start in Game 3 against Houston, putting the onus on the Astros to win Game 1 and get the upper hand before Minnesota’s top two pitchers get the ball. Houston hitters had the third-fewest strikeouts in the Major Leagues.
“We’re a tough team and we need to make sure we’re aggressive, putting the ball in play and putting a lot of pressure on the defense when we get the ball going early,” McCormick said.
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Saturday marks the Astros’ 93rd playoff game since the start of the 2015 season (the Twins have played eight games during that time). Houston will lean on that experience, the arm of Verlander and an enthusiastic home crowd to begin its path to a possible third World Series title in seven seasons.
“In the postseason, it’s all about execution in all phases of the game,” third baseman Alex Bregman said. “The team that executes the best always wins. Hopefully we are ready to implement it.”