American League Division Series

And then the off day between one and two.

There's an extra off day built in in the ALDS between one and two.

That's massive.

Just FYI.

You know, everybody's always gonna be compared.

Let's hit another series prediction with Kapit presented by Lids.

AJ, ALDS, Yankees and Rays.

Heavyweight showdown.

Clearly, they ended the season playing like the games were meaningful.

The Red Sox ended the season getting ready for the postseason, and one of those teams got run over, and one of those teams is moving on to the ALDS.

I like the way the Yankees have approached everything so far.

I like the buttons Aaron Boone has pressed.

Right.

Um, but yes, there are, there are a lot of Mets fans who are not happy to see the Yankees in the American League Division Series, I can promise you that.

So do most Mets fans, kind of like, uh, Michigan State and Michigan, vice versa, do you think they're rooting for anybody but the Yankees?

Absolutely yes.

But he can still, you know, right that wrong, you know, by pitching some good innings in, in the postseason if he makes the roster.

Um, which sucks that we're even having that conversation, like, "Will he make the roster for the ALDS?" But that was a, he was a little bit of a disappointment for me.

Drew?

Yeah.

The Goat, Kevin Kiermaier.

All right, so good thing, uh, our, our buddy Alex Nunn in the YouTube qu- comment said, "What's the keys to winning the division series? Let me y'all's prediction." Well, let's transition to our keys to the playoffs.

What will be the keys to the playoffs or the keys for the Rays to make a deep run for this year's playoffs? Starting with the ALDS against, well, we don't know yet.

Either the Red Sox or the Yankees.

I've mixed reactions, I'm sure.

We're gonna talk about it, hear a little bit from Craig Counsell, take you through the end of the season for the Cubs, and the continuation of the season for the Chicago White Sox as they move on to the ALDS.

Uh, then we'll get the sports menu before 6:00 as well.

319-366-1600.

The problem is when you get to the championship series, and the Yankees and Rays are waiting for you.

Those two teams far and away the best in the American League, maybe the best, uh, in baseball.

Chase Mydrow, who had a key home run, uh, last night in the game, had this to say about advancing to the ALDS.

We're excited.

And now imagine this.

Imagine, in the ALDS, you get Gerrit Cole, you get Cam Schlitter.

Great.

Mm-hmm.

Do not go down this silly, stupid rabbit hole of-

Mm-hmm

... we don't want Judge back for the ALDS.

Ugh, please.

All right.

Let's get back to things you guys do care about, like the Yankees advancing to the ALDS against Tampa Saturday night at 6:30.

Oh, excuse me for caring.

Yeah.

There's only one question

... make the Yankees worse?

There's only one question to Aaron Judge and his status in the ALDS.

Is he healthy enough? That's it.

That's going to wrap up today's edition of the Cleveland baseball talk podcast.

We will look forward to game one of the ALDS coming up on Saturday and talk to you before game two on Monday right here on the Cleveland Baseball Talk podcast.

All right.

Mototaka Murakami talking about Chase Madra and his three-run homer in the sixth that meant everything.

Ultimately, a win for the White Sox, 7-3 over the Astros, as they sweep their way into the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, starting Saturday at Cleveland at 12:00 PM.

While I've got it in front of me, as we welcome you back to Rahimi and Grotty on 104.3, The Score, here is the schedule for the White Sox and Guardians.

As I said, game one at Cleveland, a noon game.