Astros postseason FAQ: Twins up next

HOUSTON -- The Astros’ quest to become the first team to repeat as World Series champions since the 1998-2000 Yankees begins in earnest on Saturday, when they send ace Justin Verlander to the mound in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Twins at Minute Maid Park.

Houston finished the regular season by winning five games on the road, sweeping the D-backs at Chase Field to win its sixth American League West title in the past seven seasons. Minnesota, which swept the Blue Jays in the AL Wild Card Series on Wednesday, will be trying to upset the Astros, who are aiming for their seventh consecutive berth in the AL Championship Series.

“We’re excited,” Houston outfielder Chas McCormick said. “It was nice to be able to win the division [on] the last day and give us a long break. We did need it. The past six years, we’ve been three [series] deep into the postseason. You can tell we’re a little tired at the end, but winning three in a row and having a good series in Seattle, I think we’re in a really good spot.

"We have a lot of momentum going after winning that last game and being able to win the division, so we have good vibes going in the clubhouse right now.”

Here’s a look at some questions facing the Astros heading into the ALDS:

What could the postseason roster look like?
After playing with a 28-man roster in September, teams revert to 26 players with a maximum of 13 pitchers in each round of the postseason, with rosters due prior to the first pitch of each Game 1. The biggest variable is the breakdown of pitchers and hitters; some teams might go with as few as 10 pitchers in a best-of-three series, and others might max out at 13.

The Astros have typically carried 12 pitchers for the Division Series.

C: Martín Maldonado, Yainer Diaz
1B: José Abreu
2B: Jose Altuve
SS: Jeremy Peña
3B: Alex Bregman
UT: Mauricio Dubón, Grae Kessinger
DH: Yordan Alvarez
OF: Michael Brantley, Kyle Tucker, Chas McCormick, Jake Meyers
Pitchers: Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Hunter Brown, J.P. France, José Urquidy, Bryan Abreu, Phil Maton, Rafael Montero, Hector Neris, Kendall Graveman, Ryan Pressly, Ryne Stanek

How did the Astros fare against the Twins?
The Astros went 2-4 against Minnesota, getting outscored, 29-25, in six games. Houston didn’t have Justin Verlander when it played the Twins, and Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley were injured when the teams met in early April.

Houston has faced the Twins once previously in the playoffs, sweeping them in the Wild Card Series in 2020.

When is the ALDS?
Game 1 will be Saturday in Houston, but MLB hasn't announced what time it will begin. Game 2 will be Sunday in Houston. Following an off-day, Game 3 is Oct. 10 and Game 4 is Oct. 11. Game 5, if needed, would be Oct. 13 in Houston.

What will the postseason rotation be?
Verlander will be the Game 1 starter on Saturday, with Valdez set for Game 2. Houston used those two as its top two starters in each of last year’s three playoff rounds. The big question is who starts Game 3? Javier has pitched better towards the end of the season – he threw six scoreless innings Sunday against an Arizona team with nothing to play for – but it was a good outing nonetheless.

If the series goes four games, the Astros have candidates to start in France, Brown and Urquidy, with Verlander available on full rest for a winner-take-all Game 5.

What health issues face the Astros?
None. This team is as healthy as it’s been all season.

How many playoff games have the Astros played since this run began in 2015?
Houston has played in 92 postseason games since 2015, which is six more than any other team in the big leagues. The Dodgers have played in 86 games in that span. The next highest AL team? The Guardians, Rays and Red Sox are tied with 32.

If the Astros make the ALCS for a seventh consecutive season, would they set a record?
No. The longest streak of consecutive LCS appearances belongs to the Braves with eight in a row from 1991 to 1999 (not counting 1994, when there were no playoffs because of a strike), while the second-longest belongs to the Athletics, who went to five in a row from 1971-75. The Astros have the longest active streak at seven in a row (2017-23).