Sep 18, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Fiers (54) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Getting past the New York Yankees with ace Dallas Keuchel on the mound was one thing.
Now comes a stiffer test for the Houston Astros: a best-of-five American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals in which Keuchel figures to start just once.
Games 1 and 2 are scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Kansas City. Keuchel could return to pitch Game 3 on Sunday in Houston, which would be the site of Game 4 on Monday if necessary. Should the series go the distance, Game 5 would be at Kauffman Stadium on Oct. 14.
Houston advanced by blanking the Yankees 3-0 Tuesday in New York. Keuchel threw six dominant innings on three days’ rest, and three Houston relievers followed with one hitless inning apiece.
The Astros’ rotation options for the first two games against the Royals include right-hander Mike Fiers, right-hander Collin McHugh and left-hander Scott Kazmir. After Keuchel’s return, the Astros could turn to right-hander Lance McCullers.
Royals manager Ned Yost announced Tuesday that right-hander Yordano Ventura would start the team’s playoff opener.
“Ventura’s really been excellent in his last five or six or seven starts,” Yost said. “We wanted to keep everybody on five days’ rest, so that worked out best for all of us.”
Right-hander Johnny Cueto, acquired by the Royals from the Cincinnati Reds at midseason to anchor the rotation, will start Game 2, and right-hander Edinson Volquez is scheduled to pitch Game 3.
Yost did not designate a Game 4 starter, with the possibilities including right-handers Kris Medlen and Chris Young or Ventura on three days’ rest. Cueto would be available for Game 5 on full rest.
Ventura finished 13-8 with a 4.08 ERA in 28 regular-season starts. However, in his last 11 outings, he went 9-2 with a 2.38 ERA. In his lone appearance against Houston this year, he pitched seven innings of one-run ball in a July 26 win.
Last year, Ventura compiled a 3.20 ERA in five postseason appearances (four starts). He fired seven shutout innings to beat the San Francisco Giants in Game 6 of the World Series.
Cueto was largely a disappointment since the trade, going 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA in 13 starts for Kansas City. He did not face the Astros this season.
Fiers and Kazmir also were dealt in midseason.
Kazmir made 13 starts for Houston after coming over from the Oakland A’s, going 2-6 with a 4.17 ERA. He was 1-1 with a 2.11 ERA in three starts against Kansas City this year.
Fiers was 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) for the Astros after arriving in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.
