The Astros and Rangers begin their ALCS matchup on Sunday. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) (Adam Bettcher via Getty Images)
The American League will take place over Texas. After a grueling regular season and a stressful postseason, the two remaining AL teams – the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers – are both from the Lone Star State.
They reached this point in the season in very different ways. The Rangers regained prominence this year after flexing their financial muscles. Marcus Semien and Corey Seager signed mega deals ahead of the 2022 season. However, that didn’t stop the team from acquiring Max Scherzer and his high 2024 salary at the trade deadline.
The Astros are also spending money, but the team has largely been a consistent contender thanks to its homegrown core. Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez are proving to be outstanding again this postseason.
The Astros team has been in this position lately, but the up-and-coming Rangers shouldn’t be slept on. Jordan Montgomery will start for Texas on Sunday while Justin Verlander is called up for Houston in what should be an excellent start to a fantastic series.
Follow along as Yahoo Sports provides the latest news, scores and highlights as the Astros and Rangers open the ALCS with Game 1 on Sunday.