The series between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers has been named the one to watch in Major League Baseball this week.
The Houston Astros and Texas Rangers have found themselves in a surprising race for the American League East crown. On the line is first place in the division in the final weeks of the season and the inside track into the second round.
With so much on the line, Sports Illustrated and Score Big named it the series to watch this week in Major League Baseball.
While the Astros weren’t expected to contend in the division before the season, they’ve been atop it for most of the year. The Rangers looked down and out before rallying in the second half of the season to catch the Astros.
To up the stakes, this series is four games instead of the traditional three and the Rangers have home-field advantage. The highlight match might be the pitchers duel between the Astros’ Dallas Keuchel and the Rangers’ Derek Holland on Wednesday night.
Keuchel has been about as responsible for the Astros successful run this season as anyone, even leading the race for the Cy Young award according to some. Holland has been strong for the Rangers since returning from the disabled list and is recapturing a bit of the magic that made him an integral part of the rotation during the glory days of the Rangers’ post season runs a few years ago.
Holland will be backed by the Rangers’ formidable line up.
Other series to watch this week:
- Royals vs. Indians, Sept. 14–17
- Cubs vs. Pirates, Sept. 15–17
- Angels vs. Twins, Sept. 18–20
- Yankees vs. Mets, Sept. 18–20
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