Archive for September, 2015

Felix Hernandez Injury: Updates on Mariners Star’s Status and Return

Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez is done for what’s left of the 2015 season after exiting his last start with a minor elbow injury, per Bob Dutton of the News Tribune in Tacoma, Washington.

Continue for updates.


Mariners Shut Down Hernandez

Wednesday, Sept. 30

With Hernandez unable to make another start this year, he’ll snap what has been an extremely impressive streak, per Greg Johns of MLB.com:   

Hernandez previously dealt with tightness in his right quadriceps. The injury caused him to leave an April start against the Oakland Athletics early. He didn’t end up missing any scheduled outings because of the issue, though.

The longtime Mariners star has been highly durable throughout his career. With 31 starts this year, he’s made at least 30 starts in 10 consecutive seasons. King Felix has also been one of the league’s best pitchers over that stretch, highlighted by winning a Cy Young Award in 2010.

Since the season is almost over anyway, it makes sense for the Mariners to be extra cautious with Hernandez. The franchise inked him to a massive extension in 2013, so risking further injury to him in meaningless games would be unnecessary. 

 

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Anthony Rizzo Becomes 2nd Player with 30 Home Runs and 30 HBP

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch for the 30th time this season during Tuesday’s 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds, joining Don Baylor (1986) as the only two players in MLB history to hit 30 home runs and get hit by 30 pitches in the same season, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Rizzo also has exactly 30 home runs, as he has not hit one since Sept. 17 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 30 homers come as no surprise, with the 26-year-old having hit 32 last season and 23 in 2013.

His league-leading hit by pitch total, on the other hand, is rather unexpected, given that Rizzo was hit just 21 times over the previous two seasons.

He’s been hit by 30 pitches in 678 plate appearances this season, compared to 28 times in 1,827 career plate appearances prior to 2015.

Rizzo does get plunked at a far higher rate than the average batter, but even by his standards, 30 times in a single season borders on ridiculous.

Only 23 players have been hit 10 or more times this season, with Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Brandon Guyer (21) leading the way in the non-Rizzo division.

Despite the constant plunkings, Rizzo enters Wednesday with 155 games played this season, tying him with five other players for third-most in MLB.

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Daily Fantasy Baseball 2015: Best MLB DraftKings Picks, Advice for September 30

Wednesday’s MLB action features all 30 teams playing as the postseason draws near. On days when every MLB team is set to play, it’s important to have a specific plan in mind when planning your daily fantasy baseball lineup.

New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka and Chicago Cubs starter Jon Lester are the only ace-caliber pitchers set to take the mound Wednesday. The best course of action is to take a gamble on undervalued pitching options to make room for high-caliber offensive players.

Here are some of the top DraftKings picks for Wednesday, September 30.

 

Drew Smyly, SP, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Miami Marlins ($9,900)

Smyly has arguably been the most consistent pitcher for the Rays recently. The former Arkansas standout has recorded an unblemished 4-0 record with a 2.70 ERA over his past seven outings.

What has recently caught the attention of many fantasy owners has been his ability to consistently strike batters out. He has averaged more than 10 strikeouts per nine innings pitched this season.

Smyly faces a favorable matchup against the struggling Marlins, who rank 29th in MLB with just 594 runs scored this season. On a day when there aren’t many true pitching aces to choose from, Smyly is an excellent option for Wednesday.

 

Marcus Stroman, SP, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Baltimore Orioles ($7,800)

Stroman was originally scheduled to pitch on Monday, but his start got moved back due to a postponement. Now, the former Duke standout is ready to perform at a high level with an additional day of rest against a struggling Orioles team.

Stroman has dominated through three starts this season for the Blue Jays. The 24-year-old has a 3-0 record with an impressive 1.89 ERA so far this season. While he isn’t a particularly sharp pitcher when it comes to recording strikeouts, he’s able to get out of jams early and often, as he has left 86 percent of runners on base.

The Orioles have struggled offensively in 2015 and rank 25th in MLB with a .248 team batting average. Stroman should be even more dangerous with an additional day of rest, which doesn’t bode well for Baltimore.

 

Shin-Soo Choo, OF, Texas Rangers vs. Detroit Tigers ($5,100)

Choo has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball during the second half of this season. He has a .421 batting average over his past 15 games and has helped lead the Rangers to the top of the American League West division.

What’s been particularly impressive about Choo has been his power at the plate. He has a .759 slugging percentage over his past seven games with three home runs. Choo will face Tigers starter Matt Boyd, who has struggled this season with a 6.91 ERA.

Choo has a great opportunity to keep his hot streak at the plate going against a struggling pitcher. As the regular season draws to a close, fantasy owners should take advantage of his reasonably low value given his recent performances.

 

Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds ($4,900)

It seems Bryant is finally finding his identity at the plate after a transition period for the 23-year-old this season. He has recorded a .339 batting average over his past 30 games played with a .386 on-base percentage.

What’s been impressive about Bryant has been his ability to drive in runs for the Cubs. He has racked up 99 RBI this season despite missing the first few weeks. Bryant and the Cubs will face Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani, who has allowed nine earned runs combined over his last two starts.

Bryant is living up to his potential as an upper-tier fantasy third baseman and should continue his hot hitting against the Reds on Wednesday.

 

Lorenzo Cain, OF, Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago White Sox ($4,700)

The Royals have struggled in recent weeks, but Cain has flourished despite their mishaps. He has a .333 batting average over his past seven games played and faces a favorable matchup against the White Sox.

Cain has been a balanced hitter all season long with a .835 OPS. He has a .455 batting average against White Sox starter Jose Quintana this season, which gives him a great advantage heading into Wednesday’s game.

Cain is one of the few Royals to trust right now as the team goes through a season-ending slump. Kansas City is still poised for a deep run in the postseason, and he will be a great fantasy option for the final games of the regular season.

 

All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Statistics via FanGraphs.com and MLB.com unless otherwise noted.

Follow Curtis on Twitter: @CalhounCurtis

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Duda Ties Mets Record for Multihomer Games in a Season

New York Mets first baseman Lucas Duda tied a franchise record during Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, joining Dave Kingman (1976) and Carlos Delgado (2008) as the only three players in franchise history to record seven multi-home run games in the same season, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Duda first went deep against Phillies starter David Buchanan in the fourth inning, cutting the Mets deficit to 3-1 with a blast to deep center field.

Then, with his team trailing 4-1 in the ninth inning, Duda hit a two-run home run to left field off Phillies closer Ken Giles, cutting the lead to 4-3 with just one out left in the game.

Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud struck out to end the contest, but Duda still came away with a piece of team history in the losing effort.

Despite struggling through a midseason slump in June and July, the 29-year-old Duda owns a strong .249/.356/.497 batting line for the year with 27 home runs, 73 RBI and 66 runs in 461 at-bats (131 games).

Although the total production is pretty close to what was expected, Duda‘s path to success has been somewhat surprising, as his batting average and slugging percentage are better against left-handed pitchers than right-handed pitchers.

Prior to this season, Duda struggled badly against lefties, which often left him as part of a platoon.

If he stays healthy and continues to handle southpaws, Duda could be in for a huge 2016.

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Swihart Becomes 1st Boston Rookie Since 1998 to Hit 2 Homers in Bronx

Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart hit a pair of home runs in Wednesday’s 10-4 win over the New York Yankees, becoming the first Red Sox rookie since Jason Varitek (a fellow catcher) in 1998 to hit multiple homers in a game at Yankee Stadium, per Sportsnet Stats.

Swihart started his big night in the first inning, hitting a three-run home run to right field off of Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda to cap off Boston’s six-run outburst in the opening frame.

Then, with the score sitting at 7-4 in the eighth inning, Swihart smacked a two-run home run to right-center field off of Yankees reliever Bryan Mitchell, pushing Boston’s lead to 9-4.

The excellent performance boosted Swihart‘s batting line to .272/.319/.394, which is right around the league average for the typical player, but it’s excellent for a rookie catcher.

Although he has only five home runs in 300 plate appearances, the 23-year-old Swihart has been worth 1.6 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), according to Fangraphs measurement of the statistic.

Among rookie backstops, only Cubs catcher Blake Swihart (1.8 WAR) and Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto (1.7 WAR) are ahead of Swihart, with the crucial caveat that Schwarber has actually spent most of his time in left field.

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Blue Jays Rookie Osuna Records 20th Save of Season

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roberto Osuna recorded his 20th save of the season in Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the first Blue Jays rookie since Billy Koch (31) in 1999 to record 20 or more saves in a season, per Sportsnet Stats.

Osuna faced just two batters to get the milestone save, striking out Orioles designated hitter Jimmy Paredes, then inducing a flyout to left field from Orioles catcher Steve Clevenger.

Only 20 years old, Osuna has converted 20 of his 22 save opportunities this season, posting a 2.36 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, with a 73-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 68.2 innings. He also has seven holds, all of which came in April, May or early June, before he stepped into the closer’s role.

Despite his age, and despite the fact that he’d never pitched above the High-A level, Osuna earned a spot in the Toronto bullpen right out of spring training, with the team determining that it would rather have him make an instant impact as a reliever, rather than continuing his development as a starter.

Of course, it’s still quite possible the Blue Jays will eventually want Osuna to join the starting rotation, possibly as soon as 2016 or 2017, depending on what the rest of the roster looks like.

On the other hand, there’s an argument to be made for sticking with what works, and there’s little question that Osuna is already one of the team’s most effective relievers.

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NL Playoff Standings 2015: Latest Wild Card Info, Team Records and More

The National League playoff field is now set after the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the NL West with a victory over the San Francisco Giants Tuesday night. The only factor left to determine over the remaining handful of days is seeding.

Along with the Dodgers, the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs will have a chance to chase down World Series glory. The biggest surprise is that the hyped Washington Nationals didn’t qualify for the postseason.

Let’s check out how the standings shape up with five days of play left in the regular season. That’s followed by some analysis on the remaining races.

 

National League Standings

 

Breaking Down NL Playoff Races

Most of the focus over the final days will be on the NL Central. The Pirates would love to chase down the Cardinals to win the division and avoid the Wild Card Round. At the same time, the Cubs are still within striking distance of Pittsburgh for home-field advantage in a possible wild-card matchup.

St. Louis is in good shape after winning the opening game of its current series with Pittsburgh. It holds a four-game edge with five to play, including a doubleheader between the teams Wednesday. Even if the Cards lose both, they’ll be up two games heading into a three-game set against the lowly Atlanta Braves.

Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter talked about how important winning that series opener was to set the tone in both clubhouses, as noted by Jenifer Langosch and Tom Singer of MLB.com:

Mathematically, they’re not out of it, but it doesn’t look great. I’m putting myself in their shoes. You’re coming in with the expectation, or at least the hope, that if we sweep this series, we’re right back in it. Then to lose the first one, it kind of takes the wind out of your sails. I’m sure they’re going to be able to rally and come back and fight us tough the next two days, but if they had won tonight, all of a sudden it puts pressure on us. I think it’s definitely a momentum shift.

If the Cardinals do hang on, then the focus shifts to the Pirates and Cubs.

Pittsburgh is in the driver’s seat with a three-game lead, but the picture will become more clear by Friday. While the Pirates have the doubleheader with a motivated Cardinals squad, the Cubs have two games with a Cincinnati Reds group that’s out of the race.

Both teams face the division’s cellar dwellers to finish the season. The Pirates welcome the Reds to PNC Park while the Cubs travel to face the Milwaukee Brewers. So Chicago will want to trim the lead by at least one game, and preferably two, to have a realistic shot of taking over the top wild-card spot.

The Cubs’ silver lining is the fact they hold an 11-8 edge over the Pirates this season. They are 5-4 at home and 6-4 on the road, meaning even if they fall short in their bid to host the likely Wild Card Game, it doesn’t doom their chances to advance.

Home field is also up for grabs between the Mets and Dodgers for the NLDS. The matchup itself is already locked in, as whichever two teams survive the NL Central whirlwind will battle in the other divisional series. New York holds a slight one-game advantage with five games left for both teams.

The Mets have two games with the league-worst Phillies before ending the season with a series against the Washington Nationals. The Dodgers finish with two more games against the Giants and three with the San Diego Padres. No real edge either way based on those schedules.

As for the season series, the Mets won four of the seven contests. Interestingly, that was powered by doing something few other teams did against the Dodgers: solve their fifth-ranking pitching staff, as noted by Maggie Wiggin of MetsBlog:

All told, pitching will be the name of the game in the National League playoffs. The five teams that have punched their tickets to the postseason also own MLB’s five best team ERAs.

Whichever teams can come up with more clutch hits in the late innings will head to the Fall Classic. It’s a recipe for some outstanding drama in the weeks ahead.

 

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Why the New York Mets Will Be Unstoppable in the Postseason

Buckle up, fans of the New York Mets. Your team is about to take you on a World Series ride.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not this year. Not this group. Not this manager. Anybody who tells you that he predicted back in March that the 2015 Mets would win the National League East is probably lying to your face. Even supposed Mets “homers” weren’t allowing themselves to get caught up in any hype at the end of last winter.

These are not the ’06 Mets. That team was undeniably the best in the division. Those Mets should have won Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Those Mets would have won the World Series against any American League opponent from that year. Those Mets should have been the start of a dynasty.

The Mets from this past spring were never supposed to catch up with the Washington Nationals before the fall months. While the Nationals were the uncrowned division champions at the start of the Major League Baseball season, the Mets were about to go through a campaign that would largely be about the team making a decision on the fate of manager Terry Collins. Heck, even general manager Sandy Alderson was, in the eyes of some fans, on the hot seat six months ago.

That seems like a different lifetime ago.

Fate has smiled upon the Mets over the past two months in a way that has, in the past, been experienced by the other New York baseball team. In some alternate universe, the trade of Wilmer Flores for Carlos Gomez goes through on the night of July 29. Gomez is damaged goods when he arrives to the Mets, the clubhouse is deflated by the trade of Flores and the Mets crumble apart as the Nationals ascend to the top of the division standings.

That didn’t happen. Disaster did not strike the Mets this time around. The death of the Gomez deal opened up the possibility of the Mets acquiring outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, and the team pulled the trigger on that trade before the July deadline. Cespedes has been a revelation of a rental player, helping convert the Mets from a postseason contender to a team that could legitimately win a World Series.

How great has Cespedes been in orange and blue? He would, in a fair world, be a Most Valuable Player candidate even though he has only been with the Mets for a third of the season. Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post mentioned this very fact in a piece that was published on September 10:

Of course, in the 36 games since joining the Mets, he has an absurd .675 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.032 with 14 homers and 36 RBIs. He is not a perfect player by any stretch, swinging at too many fastballs in his eyes, overrunning that ball in the outfield the other night. But the Mets have won 25 of those games. They have gone from down two to up seven on the Nationals after Wednesday night’s sweep-finishing victory at Nationals Park.

His value is inarguable.

Cespedes has, in 53 appearances for the Mets (h/t ESPN), hit 17 home runs. He has driven in 44 RBI. No player in the NL has represented an injection of life into a club as has Cespedes since early August. Bryce Harper will probably win MVP, if only because he was with the Nationals on Opening Day. That’s fine.

Harper can accept the award from his couch while he is watching the Mets play October baseball.

As Amazin‘ (pun intended) as Cespedes has been, the story of David Wright has been even more incredible. Concerns about Wright potentially being permanently sidelined by spinal stenosis have been replaced with highlights featuring the living Mr. Met crushing five home runs and delivering 17 RBI in 34 games played (h/t ESPN). Those numbers are nice, but anybody who has followed the Mets since 2004 knows that Wright means far more to the club than what he contributes to the lineup and in the field.

Watch videos of the Mets celebrating after defeating the Cincinnati Reds to clinch the division title last Saturday. Teammates, one by one, approached and embraced Wright. The poor guy couldn’t even get through a single postgame interview with SNY without having champagne dumped on his head multiple times. No other NL team has that kind of emotional presence inside of the clubhouse.

Those looking to crush the dreams of Mets fans may point out that New York could have to face Cy Young candidates Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opening stages of the postseason. That would be a difficult road to travel for any opponent. The Mets won’t be entering that shootout with rubber bullets. Noah Syndergaard can be dominant so long as he avoids giving up home runs. Jacob deGrom, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, has ice in his veins. Matt Harvey has embraced his role as “The Dark Knight” by silencing talk about his workload being limited for the time being.

The bullpen of the Mets is about to get stronger. Jonathon Niese, who should get some relief work during the final week of the season so long as the weather cooperates, will give the New York ‘pen the left arm it has been missing. Bartolo Colon, at 42 years old and with 14 wins this year (h/t ESPN), could provide backup if needed. Jeurys Familia may make fans chew on their fingernails from time to time, but the closer of the Mets is third in the NL in saves this season (h/t ESPN).

It would be inaccurate to say that there are not several reasons to doubt the Mets in October. Both Kershaw and Greinke have notched wins over the Mets this season (h/t MLB.com). As Robert Pace of FOX Sports explained, NL Central foes the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs defeated the Mets 17 out of 20 times in 2015.

The Mets, as Pace also wrote, have been a different team since acquiring Cespedes:

It’s not just Cespedes that makes the Mets’ lineup dangerous. Daniel Murphy, Curtis Granderson, Lucas Duda and captain David Wright have come up big in spurts this season, and they lead a Mets offense that also has the highest OPS in the NL in the second half of the season.

Pace added:

Wright has struggled through enough losing seasons in New York, and will do everything in his power to ensure he and his teammates make the most of their postseason run.

Think back to the 2009 postseason. It was then when Alex Rodriguez shook his postseason demons and became the best hitter of the postseason. No version of A-Rod ever had the emotional attachment to the New York Yankees that Wright has to the Mets. Wright knows this may be his last chance at winning a World Series before his body betrays him one final time. The veteran leadership and will to win that Wright will bring to the Mets are intangibles that cannot be measured in any statistic.

All that has occurred within the organization since 2006 has been leading up to the Mets once again playing meaningful October baseball. Carlos Beltran striking out in Game 7. The collapse of 2007. The Yankees winning a World Series when the Mets were an afterthought in their own city. Flores crying in the infield. Trading for Cespedes. The story can fittingly only have one ending.

Why will the Mets be unstoppable in the postseason? Because no other NL team is an unbeatable force. Because the Mets can go blow for blow with any opponent that it will face leading up to a World Series. Because these players have rallied around their manager and around Captain Wright. Because Citi Field will be rocking like never before the first time it hosts a playoff game.

Most of all, the Mets will be unstoppable because they still don’t know that they were never supposed to be in the first place.

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Predicting Players Who Will Break Out into Stardom in 2015 Playoffs

October has a way of defining careers. Over the next few slides, we’ll identify a handful of MLB players who seem poised for a breakout during postseason play. 

The definition of what constitutes a breakout star will vary, but each player on this list has at least flashed some sort of top-tier quality in his career. More than a few are hurt by the shadow of more talented teammates, while some are still too young to have made much of an impact.

Can Travis d’Arnaud stay healthy and put together a quality month for the New York Mets? Starling Marte and Addison Russell are often overlooked in favor of their teammates, but each is capable of changing a postseason series. Elsewhere, Luis Severino and Marcus Stroman can use October to make their cases as future aces. 

What do you think of the players that we picked? Who are some other under-the-radar players ready to bust out in the postseason? Let us know in the comments section below. 

October will always be MLB’s proving ground. Fortunately for baseball fans, there is no shortage of talented players who appear ready to take the next step. 

Begin Slideshow


AL Playoff Standings 2015: Latest Wild-Card Info, Team Records and More

With just days remaining in MLB‘s regular season, the American League playoff race is getting down to the nitty-gritty with only eight teams in the running to grab one of five postseason spots.

The Kansas City Royals have already clinched the AL Central, and the Toronto Blue Jays are just one win or a New York Yankees loss away from clinching the AL East, although they are already firmly in the playoffs. The true intrigue undoubtedly resides in the AL West and AL wild-card races, though.

The Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels and Houston Astros are locked in a tight battle, with only two of them likely to play extra baseball this season, while the Yanks continue to hang on to the top wild-card position.

As the 2015 campaign nears its conclusion, here is a look at the current American League standings, along with further analysis regarding the top races remaining.

 

American League Playoff Standings

 

Breaking Down Top Races

AL Wild Card

The addition of a second wild-card team was met with some displeasure from baseball purists a few years ago, but the American League is proof that it creates some interesting scenarios down the stretch.

New York enters play Wednesday with a three-game lead on the No. 1 wild-card spot and five games remaining. The Yankees have had a handle on that position ever since the Blue Jays surpassed them in the AL East race.

The Bronx Bombers would need something miraculous to happen to win the division by winning out with the Jays losing out, but that seems extremely unlikely. With that in mind, the Yanks’ sole focus figures to be locking down the top wild-card spot and securing home field in the AL Wild Card Game.

New York has stumbled a bit as of late, but it certainly has the talent to make some noise come playoff time. One of the team’s biggest issues has been the loss of first baseman Mark Teixeira for the season due to injury, although rookie Greg Bird has stepped in admirably.

Also, some of those who performed well earlier in the season have dropped off, most notably designated hitter Alex Rodriguez. His power numbers are impressivehe has 32 home runs and 85 RBIbut he is hitting just .250.

A-Rod improved from August to September, as he went from hitting .157 with two homers to .217 with six long balls, but it still isn’t good enough. Even so, Rodriguez believes he is rounding back into form at the right time, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

“I ran into a wall in August,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t feel that way now. I feel re-energized. When I come to the plate now, I expect to do damage. I am refreshed.”

The Yankees also have some starting pitching questions, as Masahiro Tanaka is working his way back from a hamstring injury, although he is scheduled to pitch Wednesday and likely in the AL Wild Card Game as well.

New York needs Tanaka to be good since Michael Pineda struggled mightily in a loss to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. If Tanaka isn’t in fine form, then Sherman believes a case can be made for the Yanks’ season to hinge on rookie righty Luis Severino:

The Yankees undoubtedly have their flaws, but they also have time on their side with a three-game advantage over the Angels, a 3.5-game lead over the Astros and a 4.5-game lead over the Minnesota Twins.

New York’s play isn’t exactly promising entering the playoffs, however, if it can win a game or two this week or get some help from the competition, it will be among the American League’s playoff teams.

 

AL West

Aside from the Yankees, essentially the same teams that are vying for an AL wild-card spot are also battling it out in the AL West with the Rangers, Angels and Astros all still having a shot to take the division crown.

Texas is certainly in the best position with a two-game cushion over L.A. and a 2.5-game advantage over Houston. The Rangers may also have the best overall team, as their lineup features mashers like Prince Fielder, Adrian Beltre and Shin-Soo Choo, while their starting rotation and bullpen boast the likes of Cole Hamels, Yovani Gallardo and Shawn Tolleson.

The Rangers certainly aren’t the hottest team in the AL West, though, as the Angels have won seven straight games and are set up extremely well entering the weekend, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com:

Both the divisional and wild-card races are likely to come down to the final series of the season, as Texas and Los Angeles will clash in a four-game set in Arlington, Texas. As pointed out by MLB.com’s Richard Justice, that is a series that seems to favor the visitors:

The odd team out right now is Houston, which is a foreign concept since it has been in a playoff position for nearly the entire season. The Astros trail the Angels by a half-game in the AL wild-card race, but they could benefit from Texas and L.A. playing each other.

If one team manages to sweep that series or take three of four games, then that will open the door for the young, exciting Astros to make a run, assuming they get the job done in their season-closing series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Houston is stacked with excellent hitters, such as Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, George Springer and Evan Gattis, and their rotation boasts several power arms in Dallas Keuchel, Scott Kazmir, Mike Fiers and more.

It would certainly be a shame if a team with that much talent misses out on the playoffs, but with the Angels playing out of their minds thanks largely to the combination of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, and the Rangers having a nice cushion, Houston faces an uphill climb.

 

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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