8:19 PM UTC
Now, the reigning World Series champions face Minnesota ace Pablo López in Sunday night’s Game 2 (8:03 p.m. ET/7:03 CT at Minute Maid Park) with a chance to take a commanding series lead.
Houston will put its 12-game home winning streak in the ALDS on the line behind lefty Framber Valdez, who was 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP in four starts in last year’s postseason, including two wins over the Phillies in the World Series.
“I’m just going to go out there and throw strikes, execute my pitches, and throw pitches in the zone,” Valdez said.
López held the Blue Jays to one earned run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings in the Twins’ 3-1 victory in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series on Tuesday. Minnesota will be trying to steal Game 2 on the road and head home with a chance to end the series at Target Field.
“I haven’t faced [the Astros] since last year,” López said. “Obviously, myself and the catching and pitching coach are going to try to come up with the best plan we can for Game 2, which would be tomorrow, regardless of a possible Game 5.
“If we have to bring all the options out tomorrow, that’s what we’ll do. Even if it’s from the very first pitch, the very first inning, we’re going to try to put the team in the best position to win a ballgame.”
When is the game and how can I watch it?
First pitch is set for 8:03 p.m. ET/7:03 CT on Sunday, and it will be televised in the U.S. on FS1.
All series are available in the U.S. on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games are available live internationally (except in Canada). Full game archives will be available approximately 90 minutes after the game ends.
Who are the starting pitchers?
The Twins have won nine of López’s past 12 starts, dating back to the beginning of August, and they’ll need their ace at his best to avoid going back to Minneapolis with a formidable 0-2 series deficit. López ranks among the best in baseball in most of his underlying metrics, despite his 3.66 season ERA. As Minnesota looks for any answer to a monstrous Game 1 effort by Yordan Alvarez, López will need to be careful with his fastball, which has yielded a .341 average and a .545 slugging percentage to left-handed hitters this season.
Astros: Framber Valdez
Valdez has been a mainstay in the Astros’ rotation for four years, going 45-26 with a 3.19 ERA over 95 games (94 starts). In 13 career postseason appearances (12 starts), the lefty has a 3.41 ERA (26 ER/68 2/3 IP). He is one of the best ground-ball pitchers in the game, and among AL starters in 2023, he was second in ground-ball percentage (55.0), third in innings pitched (198) and third in opponents’ batting average (.228). Since ground-ball percentage started being tracked in 1987, Valdez’s career ground-ball percentage is the fifth-highest posted by a starting pitcher.
What are the starting lineups?
Twins: It will be in Minnesota’s best interest to knock Valdez out of the game as quickly as it can, however possible, because the Twins’ platoon-heavy lineup is noticeably worse on paper and in practice against left-handed pitching, with mainstays Edouard Julien, Alex Kirilloff and Matt Wallner all swapping out until the right-handed brigade emerges from the Astros’ bullpen.
Astros: Michael Brantley is back in the lineup for Game 2, and veteran catcher Martín Maldonado will be behind the plate to catch Valdez.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Twins: Expect to see plenty of the leverage relievers on Sunday, with the scheduled off-day coming on Monday and Minnesota likely to do everything it can to avoid falling into an 0-2 series deficit. The Twins have little choice in the matter, considering two of their bulk relievers — Kenta Maeda and Chris Paddack — both pitched in Saturday’s loss.
Expect Louie Varland to give the Twins two or three innings if any length is needed, but otherwise, expect everyone but Maeda and Paddack to be used liberally to close the game, up to and including Jhoan Duran if needed.
Astros: The only reliever who may be unavailable is the impenetrable Bryan Abreu, who was forced to cover 1 1/3 innings while throwing 29 pitches in Game 1. Even so, with an off-day on Monday, Houston could probably get a couple of batters out of him. The bullpen is in good shape with Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek and Rafael Montero having not pitched since the end of the regular season, and Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly still available, too, despite throwing in Game 1.
The Astros have three long relief options in starters Hunter Brown, José Urquidy and J.P. France.
Twins: Royce Lewis was not running well throughout the AL Wild Card Series due to a left hamstring strain he sustained two weeks before the start of the playoffs, and he’s still limited on the basepaths.
Astros: Relief pitcher Kendall Graveman is battling right shoulder discomfort and isn’t on the ALDS roster.
Twins: Lewis is already building his postseason legacy, and we’re only three games in. The rookie hit a solo homer during the Twins’ four-run seventh in Game 1, turning a blowout loss into a nail-biter. Lewis is the second player and first rookie in AL/NL history with three home runs in their first three career postseason games, with only former Rangers outfielder Juan Gonzalez hitting more in that span (four in 1996).
Jorge Polanco is batting .333 (4-for-12) with one home run and three RBIs through his first four games of this postseason. His homer in Game 1 of the ALDS was his second career postseason home run and his first since Game 1 of the 2019 ALDS at Yankee Stadium.
Astros: Alvarez ended the regular season as the final AL Player of the Month, and now, he’s resuming his familiar role as postseason hero. Alvarez hit two homers totaling a Statcast-projected 763 feet in Game 1 of the ALDS, the second of which gave the Astros a little breathing room when the score got a little too close for comfort. The slugger was on base three times in Houston’s 6-4 win.
Pressly converted his 12th career postseason save on Saturday. He is 12-for-12 in postseason save opportunities and has not allowed an earned run in his past 16 postseason appearances (17 2/3 IP) dating back to Game 1 of the 2021 ALCS against the Red Sox.
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