Four more wins and Houston is in the World Series again
ALCS Game 1 Preview: Astros vs. Rays
Oct 10, 2020, 8:16 pm
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Astros Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Kyle Tucker
The Houston Astros continue to be one of the underdog stories of the 2020 postseason. First, they went to Minnesota with the Twins favored to give them an early exit. Instead, Houston did enough to win and move on in straight games. Then, they went to Dodger Stadium, with arguably even less of a chance to win three-of-five against the A's who dominated them in the regular season.
Yet, the Astros' bats roared to their typical postseason form, outslugging Oakland to win in four games. That earns them a spot in MLB's final four, the championship series, with Houston and the Tampa Bay Rays going into a best-of-seven to see who will represent the American League in the 2020 World Series against the winner of the NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves. Here are some quick facts about ALCS Game 1 that will take place Sunday night:
Game Facts
When: Sunday, October 11th, 6:37 PM Central.
Where: Petco Park - San Diego, California.
TV: TBS.
Streaming: Watch TBS App.
Pitching Matchup: Framber Valdez vs. Blake Snell.
Series: tied 0-0.
Series Schedule
| Date & Time (Central) | Pitching Matchup | Home Team | |
| Game 1 | Sun 10/11, 6:37 PM | Framber Valdez vs. Blake Snell | Rays |
| Game 2 | Mon 10/12, 3:07 PM | Lance McCullers Jr. vs. TBD | Rays |
| Game 3 | Tue 10/13, TBD | TBD vs. TBD | Astros |
| Game 4 | Wed 10/14, TBD | TBD vs. TBD | Astros |
| Game 5* | Thu 10/15, TBD | TBD vs. TBD | Astros |
| Game 6* | Fri 10/16, TBD | TBD vs. TBD | Rays |
| Game 7* | Sat 10/17, TBD | TBD vs. TBD | Rays |
All games played at Petco Park.
* If necessary
Game Storylines
A mental role reversal
As mentioned before, the Astros entered the ALDS having to overcome the mental challenge of facing the team that succeeded so well against them in the regular season. In the ALCS, they have the opportunity to switch roles. It was just last year in the ALDS that Houston eliminated the Rays from the playoffs, taking the series 3-2 in a Game 5 win. They faced Tampa Bay's starter for Game 1, Blake Snell, in Game 2 of that series from Minute Maid Park. That went down as a low-scoring game, with Snell ultimately earning the loss by allowing the first run of the game, an Alex Bregman home run, giving the Astros the lead they'd ride to the end.
The 2020 MLB season is an entirely different animal. Still, coming off the ALDS's impressive offensive performance, paired with the results from 2019, Houston could ride into the series with some confidence. On the flip side, the Rays have had the chance to play in Petco Park, where all these ALCS games will take place, over their last five games, while we will wait and see of Houston's success at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles will travel down California's coast to San Diego.
Another war of attrition
As we saw across the divisional series, having such high-leverage games on consecutive days is a tricky path to navigate for a manager trying to have the best, rested arms to turn to in given situations. That benefited Houston in their series against the A's, who used their bats to put stress on the strong Oakland bullpen throughout the series. They faced the same issue themselves, though, especially at the start with their Game 1 starter, Lance McCullers Jr., going just four innings.
The ALCS will be even harder to deal with, as it could be a potential seven-day, seven-game slog of games with no days off like in a typical playoff schedule. Houston has a leg up in this area, having finished their ALDS in four games, a day earlier than Tampa Bay. That extra day of rest for their pitching could prove pivotal in this series, as will an extra arm on the roster, which Dusty Baker has stated is likely to happen at the expense of a position player this round. Another positive for the Astros, they will lead the series off with Framber Valdez, who has been their best pitcher this season and was able to throw seven innings in his ALDS start, a godsend for a bullpen that will likely be called upon frequently in the next week.
Be sure to check SportsMap after the final out for an in-depth recap of the game, and follow me on Twitter for updates and reactions throughout each playoff game: @ChrisCampise
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Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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