Astros Announce Stacked Starting Rotation for 2019 ALDS
By Ryan Giglio
Already the frontrunners to win the World Series, the Astros put the whole league on notice by trading for Zack Greinke at this year's deadline.
After two months, the world will finally get to see Houston's vaunted rotation perform in a postseason series.
The Astros, who will face the winner of Wednesday's AL Wild Card Game, further hyped up their fans ahead of the ALDS by announcing their starting rotation.
Manager A.J. Hinch announced the Astros' ALDS rotation:
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) October 2, 2019
Game 1: Justin Verlander
Game 2: Gerrit Cole
Game 3: Zack Greinke
Future Hall-of-Famer Justin Verlander will start Game 1 against the Wild Card winner's second-best starter. That's an incredible advantage to have in a best-of-five series.
As if that isn't enough an advantage, Gerrit Cole will start Game 2, with Greinke starting Game 3. Did someone say "sweep"?
Gerrit Cole: “I feel like, by now, if you don’t understand that the playoffs can be somewhat of a crapshoot sometimes, then you don’t watch enough baseball."
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) October 1, 2019
How having a stack starting rotation in October comes with no guarantees:https://t.co/nCPRqXil81
Postseason baseball is about minimizing the starters' impacts on games and getting to the bullpen. However, Houston's three starters are well-known workhorses and should have no issue going deep into games.
The Astros may even be able to successfully utilize the three in a potential best-of-seven ALCS and World Series. However, if they choose to use a four-man rotation, Wade Miley is more than a serviceable option to win big games.
No matter what way you look at it, the 2019 World Series is most likely Houston's to lose.