The postseason stage is here
Yordan vs Skubal will be unmissable!
The postseason stage is back! We're just minutes away from play ball in Game 1 of the Astros-Tigers Wild Card Series, featuring a duel between left-handers Framber Valdez and Tarik Skubal, the AL Cy Young candidate and Triple Crown winner this season.
Well, you could say the postseason started with the sublime moment when Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer in Game 161 on Monday afternoon off Atlanta Braves reliever Pierce Johnson. The Mets were two outs away from trailing 7-6 in the top of the ninth inning. Lindor crunched Johnson's curveball on the first pitch and Mets fans went wild at Citi Field.
The playoff atmosphere was electric. The Braves won 3-0 in Game 2 of the deciding doubleheader. With the win, the Braves clinched the final spot in the NL Wild Card Series. Atlanta's playoff berth knocked the D-backs, who made the World Series last year, out of the postseason.
Back to the Astros-Tigers matchup, there's a lot to watch in this Wild Card Series because of the impact both teams bring.* It will be something of a reflection of the Astros' postseason experience against the youth of the Tigers, who surprised in the latter half of the season.
*And that includes a managerial duel between rookie Joe Espada (who led the Astros to another league title), and former Astros manager A. J. Hinch, now in charge of the Tigers. The Tigers had just a 2 percent chance of making the playoffs in early August. But then they went 31-13 since Aug. 11. After a 10-year drought, the Tigers are back in the postseason for the 17th time in franchise history and the first time since 2014. The Tigers secured a Wild Card spot for the second time, joining the 2006 team. Detroit, which was eight games under .500 after the game on August 10 at San Francisco, is the second MLB team ever to make the playoffs in a non-shortened season after being eight-or-more games under .500 in August or later, joining the 1973 New York Mets.
This Game 1 will undoubtedly be a gem. Watching Framber Valdez face Tarik Skubal is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting duels of left-handed pitchers at the moment.
Can you imagine a Tarik Skubal vs. Chris Sale duel? Yes, two left-handed aces, two Triple Crown winners in different leagues this year, two of the most dominant pitchers in baseball today. But for a Skubal vs. Sale duel, a lot of things would have to happen. Most notably, Detroit eliminating the Astros in this American League Wild Card Series. And, obviously, Sale recovering from his recent injury and the Braves exterminating the San Diego Padres.
Skubal vs Yordan!
I can't wait to see Yordan face Tarik Skubal again. In the regular season, they've faced each other 12 times. Skubal has been ungenerous against Yordan, who has hit just 2-for-10 with three strikeouts. Yordan was a late addition to the Astros' postseason roster after recovering from an injury he suffered last September 22 against the Angels.
Of course, Alvarez won't be the only big challenge facing Detroit's pitchers in this Wild Card Series against the Astros. But without a doubt, Alvarez, even without being at 100% of his physical capacity after coming off the injured list, is still one of the most consistent hitters in the game. In 58 postseason games, Alvarez has recorded 12 homers, 41 RBI and a .949 OPS in 244 plate appearances.
Tarik Skubal and Tyler Holton are two of the Tigers' top left-handed pitchers. They'll be most likely to challenge left-handed hitters Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker (he's gone 0-for-5 against Skubal). Yordan has nearly unmatched potential, as he's been able to hit with equal consistency against left-handed and right-handed pitchers in his career:
Against right-handed pitchers: .978 OPS, 12.8 HRs per at-bat
Against left-handed pitchers: .965 OPS, 16.7 HRs per at-bat
Here's a look at Yordan Alvarez's exit velocities against left-handed pitchers in 2024:
Awesome! Are you noticing the same thing I am? There are really only two weak spots there: 1) High and inside pitches outside the strike zone: 62 mph exit velocity. 2) Low and inside pitches outside the strike zone: 81.2 mph exit velocity. 3) Low corner pitches outside the strike zone: 86.3 mph exit velocity.
Let's look at where Alvarez has been least consistent compared to the chart of Skubal's opponents:
1) High and inside pitches outside the strike zone: 61 mph exit velocity.
2) Low and inside pitches outside the strike zone: 73 mph exit velocity.
3) Low corner pitches outside the strike zone: 80 mph exit velocity.
As you can see, all of those areas have been well explored and dominated by Skubal's pitches, who held the opposition to just a .197 average when throwing his fastball. The league hit a ridiculous .167 against his knuckle curve, .169 against his slider, .207 against his sinker and .216 against his changeup. All five of his pitches were devastating.
Luckily for the Houston Astros, Skubal will only be pitching in Game 1 of this Wild Card Series. So we'll see how this postseason story begins.
