Royals to give Ventura start in Game 1 of ALDS

The under is 6-2 in Kansas City’s last 8 on grass and the under is 6-2 in their last 8 overall while the Royals are 6-2 in their last 8 playoff home games. (All games on FS1 or MLBN).

That’s right, Johnny Cueto will not be the Game 1 starter. Astros closer Luke Gregerson fanned two in the ninth for the save.

These teams have never met in the postseason…. That was the final game between the teams this season….

Even without knowing the Cardinals’ opponent in the NLDS, the Astros and Royals are trending towards having the least expensive divisional round prices.

Let’s take a look at the visual heritage of the defending AL champions, the Kansas City Royals.

Conventional thinking is that the Royals have the pitching advantage because Keuchel pitched the Wild Card Game Tuesday night. His 22 home runs were the most by an AL rookie and led all AL shortstops. The Royals are tough to finish off, too – they hit an AL-best.

If Royals were able to make a run to the World Series last year, it would be no surprise to see them right back in the Fall Classic this year with their much improved offense supporting their continued dominant pitching.

Whether it was getting autographs, picking up gear or comparing this year’s playoff series to ones in years past, fans say they’re excited for another season that allowed them to follow their team into the playoffs. The Old Money in a do-or-die, winner take all, game. Then they crashed the rest of it by sweeping their way to the World Series. The Royals would host game one and two Thursday and Friday, with game three and four (if needed) on the road Sunday and Monday. Altuve, Castro, Keuchel and INF Marwin Gonzalez were all with the Astros in 2012 and 2013…. Ned Yost’s squad is coming off a 95-win season, and their first division title in 30 years.

There’s only one “H” in the bullpen these days, now that Holland required Tommy John surgery. 269 as a team which was tied for second best in all of baseball, and they collected 1497 hits as a team which was also the second most in the majors.

As for the Rangers, they’ll face the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS on Thursday afternoon and they announced today who will be starting the first two games of that series. Lowrie and Jake Marisnick added nine apiece. Gomez, the Astros’ big trade-deadline acquisition, played through a strained muscle in his left side.

The Yanks had been stumbling into the playoffs going 15-19 since September 1, including losing six of their last seven.

If the Astros pitchers are hitting their spots, more than likely Royals hitters will put the ball in play where the Astros want them to.

I found my home away from home when I moved to Houston, and I truly love both cities.

The Houston Astros come to Kansas City after what was their best season since thier World Series run of 2005.