6:21 PM ET
The 2020 MLB playoffs started Tuesday with four American League Wild Card Series.
The Chicago White Sox beat the Oakland As as Lucas Giolito flirted with perfection. The Houston Astros, who completed the 2020 season with a losing record, topped the Minnesota Twins to extend Minnesotas record playoff losing streak to 17 games. Blake Snell and the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays held back the Toronto Blue Jays.
Here are the heroes, turning points and takeaways from each of the Game 1s.
Forecasts
Jump to: CHW at OAK|HOU at MIN|TOR at TB
MLB InsidersESPN
Chicago White Sox 4, Oakland As 1
What it means for the Rays: This was a particular Tampa Bay triumph: a close game won on the strength of pitching depth. This group will require strong efficiencies from its trio of top-tier beginners– Snell, Glasnow and Morton– to make a deep run this postseason. Snell brought his A-game to close down Buffalo, er, Toronto in Game 1 and handed things off to Diego Castillo, Anderson and Peter Fairbanks to complete things off. If the Rays make it beyond this round, anticipate much of their games to appear like this one: strong pitching with simply enough offensive output to manage success. It has been a reliable formula this season.– Joon Lee.
Next up: Game 2, 4 p.m. ET Wednesday on TBS.
More Tuesday video games.
New York City Yankees at Cleveland Indians, survive on ESPN.
Tampa Bay Rays 3, Toronto Blue Jays 1.
Game 1 hero: Framber Valdez. Securing a previous Cy Young winner early is precisely the sort of relocation that can get you second-guessed in the postseason, however young Valdez made Dusty Baker look really smart when he can be found in and pitched magnificently in relief of Zack Greinke. The relief getaway offered Houstons offense an opportunity to steal and pounce Game 1.
What it suggests for the Astros: Never did the Astros panic– not when they were stranding runners, not when their starter Greinke got chased after four innings and not when Jose Altuve, in the middle of a season-long battle, took a full-count Sergio Romo fastball just above the strike zone for ball 4 to put his group ahead in the ninth. In Between Romo and Valdez going five dazzling innings in relief with simply a fastball and curveball– and escaping a ninth-inning jam– the Astros did what they needed to scrape by.
What it suggests for the Twins: I d argue that no team required to win its first video game more than the Twins because now theyre gazing at that extraordinary, impossible mark of 17 successive losses in the postseason. Various groups, different years, sure, however that does not indicate this streak doesnt feel like the weight of the Mall of America on their shoulders. Those 17 beats have been available in lots of ways, but this was one of the most painful. Shortstop Jorge Polanco made a lazy error with two outs in the ninth inning, delicately turning the ball broad of 2nd base on what ought to have been an inning-ending force that would have kept the game connected at 1. Now the Twins have to summon the mental fortitude to ignore those 16 years of history and struck the ball over the fence– or simply get a struck with a runner in scoring position after going 0-for-7 in Game 1.– David Schoenfield.
Next up: Game 2, 1 p.m. ET Wednesday on ESPN2.
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Blake Snell is dominant against the Blue Jays, striking out nine batters while allowing simply one hit in 5 2/3 innings of work.
It didnt harm that Chicagos No. 1 starter– Giolito– pitched like a championship-level ace, taking a best video game into the seventh. The relief trip provided Houstons offense a possibility to attack and take Game 1.
Shortstop Jorge Polanco made a lazy error with 2 outs in the ninth inning, delicately flipping the ball wide of second base on what must have been an inning-ending force that would have kept the video game connected at 1. Now the Twins have to summon the psychological fortitude to neglect those 16 years of history and struck the ball over the fence– or simply get a struck with a runner in scoring position after going 0-for-7 in Game 1. Snell brought his A-game to shut down Buffalo, er, Toronto in Game 1 and handed things off to Diego Castillo, Anderson and Peter Fairbanks to complete things off.
Video game 1 hero: Lucas Giolito. The White Sox ace became the fifth gamer in MLB history to take a best video game into the seventh inning of a postseason video game and enabled just 2 hits, one walk and one run over seven-plus frames.
What it indicates for the White Sox: What does a bad finish tell us? In the first game of their first postseason in 12 years, that changed. It didnt hurt that Chicagos No. 1 starter– Giolito– pitched like a championship-level ace, taking an ideal video game into the seventh.
Their lineup was the biggest question heading into the 2020 postseason, and Giolito verified those concerns. He was brilliant, the White Soxs relievers did enough to hold the lead, and now the As– who have bowed out of the playoffs 5 times in the previous 8 years without reaching the ALCS– require to beat Dallas Keuchel and his 1.99 ERA to remain alive.
Next up: Game 2, 3 p.m. ET Wednesday on ESPN
Houston Astros 4, Minnesota Twins 1.
The Twins surrender three runs in the ninth inning and lose 4-1 to the Astros, setting an American pro sports record with their 17th consecutive postseason loss.
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Game 1 hero: Blake Snell. The former Cy Young Award winner brought electrical stuff to the mound, setting out 9 batters in 5 2/3 innings and appearing like the pitcher who posted a 1.89 ERA in 2018.
What it means for heaven Jays: Toronto wished to patch together a bullpen game out of Matt Shoemaker and Robbie Ray and take the opener from the finest group in the American League. The important things is, thats the Rays method operandi– and, frankly, theyre better-equipped to do it. Nobody on heaven Jays might fix Snell. They retouched Nick Anderson for a run, which is something of an ethical victory, but morals dont win three-game series. Good play does, and the Blue Jays now are relying on Hyun-Jin Ryu going pitch-for-pitch with Tyler Glasnow in hopes that they can get to a Game 3, in which Taijuan Walker would deal with Charlie Morton.– Passan.
