Wednesday’s American League slate brings October pressure to two ballparks, with Cleveland trying to protect its narrow AL Central edge at Fenway Park and Houston attempting to hold first place in the AL West in Seattle. The Guardians-Red Sox game begins at 7 p.m. ET, followed by Astros-Mariners at 10 p.m. ET, with both contests on ESPN.
Cleveland rides a late September surge into Boston
The Guardians arrived at Fenway after taking Tuesday’s opener, 3-2, and their timing could not be better. Cleveland has won six in a row and seven of its last eight games, building a one-game cushion over the White Sox atop the AL Central.
Chicago remains close enough that every inning matters for a Cleveland club chasing its third straight postseason trip in manager Stephen Vogt’s three seasons at the helm. Boston has its own unfinished business, seeking to secure the American League’s second Wild Card position after the Yankees locked up the top Wild Card spot Tuesday.
Wednesday’s Fenway pitching matchup
- Guardians left-hander Foster Griffin is scheduled to start. He enters at 15-5 with a 3.67 ERA.
- Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray gets the ball carrying a 17-5 record and a 2.82 ERA.
- Tuesday featured a rookie matchup between Cleveland’s Parker Messick and Boston’s Payton Tolle.
Houston takes back the West lead
The Astros made their move Tuesday night with a 7-0 shutout of the Mariners at T-Mobile Park, returning Houston to first place in the AL West. The Astros and Rangers have identical records, but Houston owns the tiebreaker.
That advantage is particularly meaningful for a franchise that has captured seven of the last nine AL West crowns. A win Wednesday would give Houston some separation from Texas, while Seattle can tighten the race again on its home field.
- Houston plans to start right-hander Ethan Pecko, who is 1-0 with a 3.77 ERA.
- Seattle counters with right-hander George Kirby, owner of a 9-11 record and 4.24 ERA.
- The Astros control their route to the division title as the regular season reaches its final days.
Alvarez carries a Triple Crown chase into Seattle
Houston’s division push comes with a separate headline in the middle of its order. Yordan Alvarez hit his 41st home run in Tuesday’s win, a two-run blast that pulled him level with Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero for the American League lead.
The homer also lifted Alvarez to 102 RBIs, second in the league behind Pete Alonso’s 108. Alvarez begins Wednesday leading the AL with a .314 average, leaving him in position to pursue a Triple Crown. If he can finish first in average, homers and RBIs, he would become only the second player this century to accomplish it.
