2022 AL Championship Series Poll: New York Yankees vs Houston Astros

This is how it had to be. The two top seeds in the American League have seemingly been on a collision course for months now as the Yankees finally finished off the Guardians to punch their ticket to the ALCS. Not only that, but this series promises to be one filled to the brim with narratives and history that has been years in the making.

For the Yankees, this will represent yet another chance for them to exorcise their playoff demons and break through to the World Series, a promised land their team hasn’t seen in over a decade. But, first, they’ll have to measure themselves against a familiar enemy that has handed them their walking papers in three out of their past six postseason runs.

It will also be the the third meeting of these two teams in the ALCS going all the way back to 2017. A stretch of time that has seen the Yankees consistently packing while the Astros advance. No matter what they say about Boston and New York, this right here feels like the biggest postseason rivalry currently going on in baseball, and the Yankees have consistently come out on the losing end of it.

But there is one new wrinkle that I’m sure will be repeated ad nauseum: Revenge. The sign stealing scandal was revealed after the 2019 World Series and, ever since, the Yankees and Dodgers have done everything they can to make it about themselves. I’m sure you’ll hear about how wronged Judge and crew were when they were bounced in 2017 and there will be allusions to cheating in 2019 to make them feel better about Altuve stealing Chapman’s soul in Game 6.

That’s a red herring, though. It’ll be nothing more than a way to fill inches in articles by unserious journalists and glorified bloggers (Hello!) looking to stir the pot. Others can talk about the past all they want, but these Astros are built different. You’re not facing trashcans and cameras, you’re facing a team that romped through the AL to reach 106 wins and is now looking to deploy a superior pitching staff in hopes of stifling the Yankees yet again. New York can play for 2017 all it wants, but Houston will be playing for 2022.

And do not doubt that it will be a tough climb for NY, who is coming off an ALDS where they didn’t do a whole lot offensively. They managed to pop a few home runs, and kept ahead of the Guardians, but the Astros are a team built with a little more pop in the bat than Cleveland was. The Astros are also well rested after managing a sweep against a Mariners team that, if we’re being honest, probably should have done better against Houston and looked like it would have had a decent shot to beat either Cleveland or the Yankees this postseason.

But, as we all know, none of that matters anymore. Hell, the regular season doesn’t even matter anymore. What’s coming up this week is the only thing that these teams and their fans will be focused on. Personally, I’m looking forward to a week of gut-churning games. Living and dying with each pitch as the Astros look to once more advance to the World Series in search of their second title. The real question is whether or not it will be the same old story of Yankees go home, or if Houston will finally succumb to their biggest little brother.

Hot damn, it’s going to be fun.

For Your Viewing and Listening Pleasure

Game 1: Wednesday, October 19th @ 6:37 PM CDT
Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston
Listen: Yankees - WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, ESPN Radio / Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, TUDN 93.3/KLAT 1010, ESPN Radio
Watch: TBS

Game 2: Thursday, October 20th @ 6:37 PM CDT
Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston
Listen: Yankees - WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, ESPN Radio / Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, TUDN 93.3/KLAT 1010, ESPN Radio
Watch: TBS

Game 3: Saturday, October 22nd @ 4:07 PM CDT
Location: Yankee Stadium, New York City
Listen: Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, TUDN 93.3/KLAT 1010, ESPN Radio / Yankees - WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, ESPN Radio
Watch: TBS

Game 4: Sunday, October 23rd @ 6:07 PM CDT
Location: Yankee Stadium, New York City
Listen: Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, TUDN 93.3/KLAT 1010, ESPN Radio / Yankees - WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, ESPN Radio
Watch: TBS

Game 5*: Monday, October 24th @ 3:07 PM CDT**
Location: Yankee Stadium, New York City
Listen: Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, TUDN 93.3/KLAT 1010, ESPN Radio / Yankees - WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, ESPN Radio
Watch: TBS
**If the NLCS is over after Oct. 23rd, then ALCS Game 5 will move to 4:07 PM CDT

Game 6*: Tuesday, October 25th @ 5:07 PM CDT***
Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston
Listen: Yankees - WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, ESPN Radio / Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, TUDN 93.3/KLAT 1010, ESPN Radio
Watch: TBS
***If the NLCS is over after Oct. 24th, then ALCS Game 6 will move to 6:37 PM CDT

Game 7*: Wednesday, October 26th @ 6:37 PM CDT
Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston
Listen: Yankees - WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, ESPN Radio / Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, TUDN 93.3/KLAT 1010, ESPN Radio
Watch: TBS

*If necessary