The Houston Astros took are of the Oakland Athletics in four games and are now in the ALCS for the fourth straight season. Against the As, the Astros put up 8.25 runs a game. The Astros have won 10 of their last 17 games when scoring four or more runs. The offense is led by Carlos Correa with 10 hits and 12 RBI. The Houston Astros will hand the ball to Framber Valdez to start game one. Valdez was sharp in both of his playoff starts. He went five scoreless innings against the Twins in the Wildcard followed by holding the A’s to only two runs in seven frames in a 5-2 victory. He was 5-3 on the year with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP.

The Tampa Bay Rays needed five games to dispatch the Yankees to reach the ALCS for the first time since 2008 when they made the World Series. Their win had a lot to do with their pitching as they’ve allowed five or fewer runs in six of their first seven playoff games. The Rays have won 16 of their last 20 games when allowing five or fewer runs. The rank third in ERA and fifth in WHIP. The offense is led by Randy Arozarena with 12 hits and four RBI. Blake Snell will make the game one start for the Rays. He is 4-2 3.24 ERA and 63 strikeouts this season. Snell is 1-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 20 strikeouts in his postseason career.

Snell is well rested and he's been solid all season, and Valdez has been lights out in the playoffs. All the trends say play the over, but this is playoff baseball and I look for things to be a little tighter.

Play on the UNDER.