Who’s Coming to Houston?

Records mean nothing tonight.

Oh, I’m sure that they’ll be referenced as the Guardians and Yankees face off in the Bronx for a chance at an ALCS berth tonight, but all of that is out the window. For these two teams there is only one game left with both walking a tightwire. Whoever blinks first will be headed home with the other will be headed to Houston. April through September is nothing but a mirage at this point. The WC round may as well not have happened for the Guardians. The first four games of this series are dreams fading into cobwebs as the teams awaken from a slumber they didn’t even know they were in. Now, it’s all just Game 5 and destiny.

This is why I love October baseball. You spend all season grinding through series after series, months of effort and commitment, to determine whether you get into a month-long tournament. Then, once you’re there, it could all come down to a single game. One night of baseball where the winner moves on and the loser moves out. I have had the privilege of watching the Astros play such games for 7 of the last 8 years, and I wouldn’t trade that gut churning feeling for anything.

But, man, am I happy it’s not us tonight.

Assuming we don’t break anymore records for lengthy postseason games tonight, we should know the Astros’ ALCS opponent by midnight. But, my question to you, is who will it be? The scrappy Guardians, who refused to roll over even though a lot of people thought they were dead in the water at the start of the season, or the big bad Yankees, who chased records and clout all season only to end up with season on the brink on a mid-October night? At the end of it all, who’s narrative will be stronger?

How to Watch

Game 5: Monday, October 17th @ 6:07 pm CDT
Location: Yankee Stadium, New York City
Listen: Guardians - WTAM 1100, ESPN Radio / Yankees - WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, ESPN Radio
Watch: TBS