For the third year in a row, the AL League Championship Series will see the Houston Astros take on the Kansas City Royals. The Royals are 0-2 on those series, and have lost the last three postseason series after losing the 2035 League Championships Series as well. Having become the first team in over a century to lose three World Series in a row, the Royals will be seeking to avoid joining the 1976-1978 Royals team in losing three ALCS in a row.
At this point the Royals are very familiar with the powerhouse that is the Houston Astros. They led the AL in runs scored and runs against, as well as both defensive metrics.
Their line up has stars all the way through, with Wilfredo Terrazas probably just about the pick, the CF hitting .280 with 44 HRs and 150 RBIs. That batting average was only good enough for third on the team, though, with 2B Nelson Aguirre hitting .299 and former-Royal Mike Thomas .289 with 105 RBIs. Another former-Royal Mike Campney was second on their team with 28 HRs and is part of their balanced line up that features 5 righties, 1 lefty, and 3 switch hitters.
On the pitching side, they will be without their major offseason acquisition J.J. Tjepkema, who only managed 9 games but still put up 2.5 WAR before suffering a torn rotator cuff. In his absence, their two RHP, two LHP starting rotation includes 2.94 ERA Juan Silva, 14-2 record Jon Elfstrom, and 10-3, 2.69 ERA Juan Llamas. Their bullpen has 3 LHPs but their star this season was closer Luis Danys Rhodes, who had an ERA of 1.65 while recording 42 saves in 59 appearances.
The Royals won the regular season series six games to one, which is normally a portent for a bad postseason outcome for these Royals.
Game 1 in Houston: Joe Davis vs Juan Silva (2038 Scouting Discovery)
• Kansas City wins 1-0
• Davis: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R INJ 1 DAY
• Silva: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R
• Gilberto Matos: RBI (10th)
• POTG: Silva (HOU)
• 1-0 Kansas City
Game 2 in Houston: Mike Herzner vs Jon Elfstrom (2040 Free Agent)
• Kansas City wins 4-3
• Herzner (W): 7.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R
• Elfstrom (L): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R
• Juan Anaya (SV): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R
• Houston HRs: Mike Campney (4th)
• 2-0 Kansas City
Game 3 in Kansas City: Curt Bogans vs Zach McLean (2041 1st Round)
• Houston wins 6-0
• McLean: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R
• Bogans (L): 5.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R
• Sergio Leyva (W): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R
• POTG: Mike Thomas (HOU) 3-5 RBI
• 2-1 Kansas City
Game 4 in Kansas City: Dan Carrig vs Juan Llamas (2040 Trade KC)
• Houston wins 6-5
• Llamas: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R
• Carrig: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R
• Daniel Montoya (W): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R
• Doug Campos (L)(BS): 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R
• Luis Danys Rhodes (SV): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R
• Kansas City HRs: Chris Kern (1st), Jamie Edwards (2nd, 2R), Jadon Tezeno (6th, 2R)
• Houston HRs: Mike Thomas (5th)
• POTG: Kevin Barlow (HOU) 3-4, BB, 2 RBI
• 2-2 Series Tied
Game 5 in Kansas City: Davis vs Silva
• Kansas City wins 3-2
• Davis (W): 7.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R
• Silva (L): 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R
• Juan Anaya (SV): 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R
• 3-2 Kansas City
Game 6 in Houston: Herzner vs Elfstron
• Houston wins 6-5
• Herzner: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R
• Elfstrom: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R
• Daniel Montoya (W): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R
• Dan Nichols (L): 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R
• Luis Danys Rhodes (SV): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R
• Kansas City HRs: Edgar Mir (2nd), Tezeno (8th)
• 3-3 Series Tied
Game 7 in Houston: Bogans vs McLean
• Kansas City wins 8-6
• Bogans 3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R
• McLean: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R
• Doug Campos (W): 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R INJ 5 months
• Brad Bjorn (L): 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R
• Juan Anaya (SV): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R
• Kansas City HRs: Chris Kern (4th, 2R), Estanislau Covete (5th)
• Houston HRs: Wilfredo Terrazas (1st, 3R), Nelson Aguirre (9th, 2R)
• 3-2 KANSAS CITY WINS
Series MVP: Juan Anaya (KC): 1-0, 5.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 8 K, 0.00 ERA