Hamels will be in the postseason for a sixth year, but for the first time, he is not a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Rangers acquired him on July 31 in an eight-player deal and he went 7-1 with a 3.66 ERA in 12 starts for Texas. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The second game of the American League Division Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers will feature a contrast in pitching experience on Friday afternoon at the Rogers Centre.
Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels, the 2008 National League Championship Series and World Series Most Valuable Player, will be making his 14th postseason start.
Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman will be making his playoff debut — and the pressure will be on after the Rangers took Game 1 by a 5-3 count on Thursday.
“This is definitely the biggest start of my career hands down, but I’m ready for it, you know what I mean?” the second-year man said. “This is why you play the game. I’m excited. I can’t wait to get out there.
“This is the stuff you dream about, and this is kind of all the work that went in this past summer, it was for this moment, so I’m just excited to go out there and put my team in a position to win.”
Stroman underwent left knee surgery in March and was expected to miss the entire season. However, he made it back in September and won all four of his starts, posting a 1.67 ERA. Stroman struck out 18 and walked six in 27 innings.
“I didn’t necessarily know that it would play out like it has played out, but in the back of my head, through all those workouts … was to get back because I knew the team that we had was extremely special and we would be able to go pretty deep into the playoffs,” Stroman said.
“So I made it a point of emphasis to get back to this team to be a part of something special, and the fact that they were picking up new guys and winning with all these guys, that only made me more motivated and hungry to get back.
“I’m just excited to be back and I cannot wait to get out there on the mound (Friday).”
Hamels will be in the postseason for a sixth year, but for the first time, he is not a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Rangers acquired him on July 31 in an eight-player deal and he went 7-1 with a 3.66 ERA in 12 starts for Texas.
He is geared up for another October run.
“I think the postseason’s where it’s at,” Hamels said. “This is what we trained for. Especially myself, these are the moments that I enjoy the most, so I think in order to get here, you do have to have a sense of focus, but then when you’re here, you try to lay it all out on the line because sometimes you don’t get that second chance.
“There might not be tomorrow. And if there is not tomorrow, you’ve got a lot more months to think about it.”
Overall this year, the 31-year-old veteran was 13-8 with a 3.65 ERA in 32 starts. Hamels pitched a no-hitter in his final start for the Phillies on July 25 against the Chicago Cubs.
Aside from the pitchers, a big part of the story Friday will be the health of sluggers on both teams who left Game 1 with injuries.
Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson, an American League MVP candidate, came out in the fifth inning Thursday after taking a knee to the head on a hard slide into second base in the fourth. He passed the tests done for concussions, and the team will wait to see how he is Friday.
Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista was replaced in the ninth inning after he experienced a cramp while fouling out to end the eighth.
“I should be ready to go tomorrow,” he said.
Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre left the game in the third inning when he developed back spasms after sliding into second base. An MRI exam performed Thursday night showed a strained lower back, and Beltre is listed as day to day.
