The four American League teams remaining will have their postseason fates decided today in a pair of Games 5. Two of them, the Rangers and Royals, give the ball to exactly the pitcher they would want in that spot, the veteran ace they acquired three months ago for such big spots: Cole Hamels and Johnny Cueto, respectively.
And then there are the Blue Jays and Astros, who will be handing the ball to underdogs: Marcus Stroman and Collin McHugh. It’s one of the many great treats postseason holds for us every year: The ball doesn’t always wind up in the best pitchers’ hands when a team most needs a victory.