The Royals sweep their Division Series and will face the Rangers in the 2050 League Championship Series, a repeat of 2049. This will be the 5th postseason matchup between the teams, with the Rangers holding the edge 3-1.
Over in the National League, the Cardinals escaped a game 5 to defeat the Braves, while the Cubs took out the Mets to set up an all-NL Central League Championship Series.
The Rangers had the second best record in the AL behind the Royals the teams split their regular season series 3-3. This has the potential to be a classic series as Kansas City looks for revenge after their 2049 defeat, and the chance for Stewart to win a 5th World Series before leaving the Royals at the end of the season.
The top of the Rangers rotation hasnt changed since 2049, with two RHPs, Yoshihiro Tani (4.21 ERA, 13-9) and Chris Krupa (4.50, 12-13) leading the way. They have added RHP Luis Trejo (3.64, 9-3) and LHP Nam-seo Kim (3.71, 7-5) who have arguably been more effective that their more well known colleagues. In the bullpen, Dave Watson, an in season acquisition, has been elite as their closer, with 16 SVs and a 1.44 ERA, while LR Edgar Cervantes has a 6-0 record with a 3.89 ERA.
Among position players, the Rangers are led by a trio of elite players last years ALCS MVP LF Sean McCormick (.310, 31 HRs, 115 RBIs), 1B Andy Raines (.294, 26 HRs, 82 RBIs), and C Juan Ortega (.299, 27 HRs, 76 RBIs). With the 4th most runs scored in the AL, there is clearly danger throughout the line up but if the Royals can limit the impact of those three, it will go a long way to deciding the series.
Game 1 in Kansas City: T.J. Nooks vs Chris Krupa (2046 Trade SD)
Nooks: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R INJ
Krupa (L): 5.2 IP, 11 H, 5
Rob Cope (W): 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R
Kansas City HRs: Esmarly Roseberry (3rd), Mike Gronkiewicz (3rd, 2R), David de Anda (6th; 8th)
T.J. Nooks (KC) INJ pitching DTD 4 days
POTG: David de Anda (KC) 2-4, 2 HRs, 2 RBI
1-0 Kansas City
Game 2 in Kansas City: Braden Montalbano vs Luis Trejo (2048 Waivers LAA)
Kansas City wins 7-1
Montalbano (W): 8.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R
Trejo (L): 2.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R
Texas HRs: Juan de Alba (6th)
Julio Cuevas (TEX) INJ throwing DTD 3 days
2-0 Kansas City
Game 3 in Texas: Steve Mondie vs Yoshihiro Tani (2047 International Free Agent)
Kansas City wins 16-7
Mondie: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 6 R
Tani (L): 2.1 IP, 7 H, 8 R
Rob Cope (W): 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 $
Kansas City HRs: Nelson Saiz (1st; 6th, 2R; 9th, 2R), Gronkiewicz (1st), Jonathan Lish (2nd, 2R), Juan Montelongo (9th)
Texas HRs: Sean McCormick (1st), Jeff Abbott (2nd, GS)
David da Anda (KC) equals KC PS Record, 4 Rs
Nelson Saiz (KC) equals AL PS Record, 3 HRs
POTG: Nelson Saiz (KC) 3-5, 3 HRs, 5 RBIs, BB
3-0 Kansas City
Game 4 in Texas: Shammond Fairwell vs Nam-seop Kim (2050 Trade HOU)
Texas wins 16-4
Kim: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R
Fairwell (L): 2.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R
Joey Blanchard (W): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R
Kansas City HRs: Lish (4th), A.J. Terry (6th)
Texas HRs: Brendon Pedley (3rd, 2R), McCormick (5th, GS)
Andy Raines (TEX) INJ running bases DTD 1 week
POTG: Sean McCormick (TEX) 3-3, HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB
3-1 Kansas City
Game 5 in Texas: Nooks vs Krupa
Texas wins 3-2
Krupa: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R
Nooks: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R
Dave Watson (BS)(W): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R
Luis Danys Rhodes (L): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R
Texas HRs: Sergio Morales (1st)
Chris Krupa (TEX) INJ pitching OUT (pending)
3-2 Kansas City
Game 6 in Kansas City: Montalbano vs Trejo
Kansas City wins 5-3 (12)
Montalbano: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R
Trejo: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R
Chris Curry (W): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R
Federico Ramirez (L): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R
Omari Ambroise (BS): 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R
Kansas City HRs: Jaden Tezeno (12th, 2R, WO)
Texas HRs: Abbott (3rd), McCormick (8th)
Jamie Robinson (TEX) INJ running bases OUT 6 weeks
4-2 KANSAS CITY WINS
Series MVP: David da Anda (KC) 8-23, 2 HR, 7 RBI