The AL wild card game is being played between the two teams that spent the most and the least money on their Opening Day payrolls this season. The Yankees have the #2 payroll in all of baseball. The Astros have the #29 payroll in all of baseball. The Astros barely managed to hold on to their postseason spot. The Yankees barely managed to hold on to their having the home field advantage in this one game, winner-take-all contest.
Neither team can come into this feeling too confident. The Astros are sending out an AL Cy Young contender in Dallas Keuchel, who has only allowed more than three runs in six of his 33 starts all season.