Now, the chapter in Atlanta:
The Basics
Where: Truist Park
When: 8:09 PM EDT
Broadcast: FOX
Starting Pitchers: Ian Anderson (ATL); Luis Garcia (HOU)
Odds: ATL -115; HOU -105; o/u 8½ (u -115) [English translation: Atlanta’s roughly 51% likely to win; Houston’s roughly 49% likely to win; the expected number of runs scored is around 8.4]
The Details
Garcia bounced back from a rough first two postseason starts to hold the Red Sox in check in the decisive Game 6 of the ALCS. The 24-year-old enters on the back of a 155.1-inning rookie season in which he managed a 3.63 FIP and 3.98 xERA. Opposite him, the 23-year-old Anderson has been comparable on the month to his regular-season self, who posted a 4.12 xERA and 4.30 FIP.
Each bullpen should be fresh, so don’t be surprised to see either manager employ a quick hook, but at the same time, there are three games in a row here in Atlanta, and both teams are suffering a shortage of reliable starting pitching at the moment, so…we’ll see.
The Stars
Yordan Alvarez is loosely expected to be in left field with the DH not an option in the National League park. This is getting some attention, but it isn’t really much of a story—he started 41 games in left this year in the regular season, including four of the Astros’ final five. He’s certainly a liability out there, but not devastatingly so.
