ALDS Game 1 Open Thread

What some might call, “the Real Playoffs” (those people are dumb, don’t listen to them), start this afternoon in an MLB Postseason doubleheader.

The first game, beginning at 4:38pm EDT, will see the Blue Jays and and the Rangers rekindle a rivalry that came to be during a rather tense 2015 ALDS. There were bat flips. There was fan protesting (the Jays fans are getting good at throwing things onto the field). And then, when the two teams got together earlier this season, the contest broke out into a real life version of Mike Tyson’s Punch Out!

So, who knows what will happen in this one, but it promises to be a tense and raucous affair.

The second game begins at 8:08pm EDT and features the Boston Red Sox in Cleveland to take on the Indians. Cleveland manager Terry Francona will look to try and bring a World Series to a place that has gone a really, really long time without a World Series by taking on the team that he brought a World Series to that had gone a really, really long time without a World Series, a little over a decade ago.

It’s going to be an uphill climb for the Indians, however; they’ll be without Carlos Carrasco for the postseason because of a broken finger. They’ll be without Danny Salazar for at least this series due to a forearm injury. Former Cy Young Award winner Cory Kluber strained his quad in his last start, so Trevor Bauer will be the one on the mound tonight to face a Red Sox team with multiple MVP candidates.

Join us right here for all of the festivities. Just, if you’re going to root for the Red Sox like some stan, go over in the corner, please.