Call to the pen
Fansided

MLB Playoffs: 2018 ALDS Series Preview Houston vs. Cleveland

By Bobby Mueller

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 26: Alex Bregman #2 of the Houston Astros celebrates in the clubhouse with Jose Altuve #27 after the Astros clinched the American League West division title after their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 26, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 26: Alex Bregman #2 of the Houston Astros celebrates in the clubhouse with Jose Altuve #27 after the Astros clinched the American League West division title after their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 26, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
MLB playoffs
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 19: Cleveland Indians second baseman Jose Ramirez (11) motions to the dugout prior to the Major League Baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians on September 19, 2018, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2018 MLB Playoffs: Astros/Indians Offense

Houston Astros offense: 5th in MLB (110 wRC+)

According to Fangraphs, the Astros had the fifth-best hitting attack in baseball, with a 110 wRC+. This metric takes everything a team (or player) does on offense and adjusts for league and ballpark effects. A 100 wRC+ is league average. The Astros’ 110 wRC+ meant they were 10 percent better than average with the bats. Cleveland also had an above-average offense, checking in at seventh in baseball with a 105 wRC+.

The top Astros hitters are the names you likely recognize—Alex Bregman (157 wRC+), Jose Altuve (134 wRC+) and George Springer (119 wRC+). Bregman led the team in runs scored, home runs and RBI. He has a good chance of finishing in the top five in AL MVP voting. Altuve is the reigning AL MVP, but his offensive production dropped a bit from the last two seasons. Springer was the World Series MVP last postseason when he crushed five home runs in seven games against the Dodgers.

Another player who hit very well, but in less than full time play, was Tyler White, with a 144 wRC+ in 237 plate appearances. White didn’t get called up from the minor leagues until June, but he was a force in June, July and August before slowing down in September.

Shortstop Carlos Correa was having a fine season through June 25, hitting .268/.352/.480 (128 wRC+), but a stiff back that sidelined him for a good portion of the second half seemed to zap his hitting ability. In 153 plate appearances after the injury, Correa hit just .180/.261/.256 for a well below average 45 wRC+. Correa is one of the biggest wild cards in this series. If he isn’t his usual self, the shortstop position will likely be turned over to Marwin Gonzalez, although Alex Bregman played 27 games there this season also.

Cleveland Indians offense: 7th in MLB (105 wRC+)

The top three hitters on the Indians were Jose Ramirez (147 wRC+), Francisco Lindor (130 wRC+) and Michael Brantley (124 wRC+). Ramirez did just about everything you could ask for from a hitter. He scored 110 runs, stole 34 bases, hit 39 dingers, and had 106 RBI. That production earned him the Indians’ nomination for the Hank Aaron Award.

Lindor was also very impressive, with 129 runs scored, 38 home runs and 25 steals. Despite almost exclusively batting at the very top of the order, he had 92 RBI. Michael Brantley bounced back from two injury-marred seasons to have the second-most plate appearances of his career. His .364 on-base percentage was the second-highest mark among Cleveland regulars.

Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion had 32 long balls and 107 ribbies, but his .336 on-base percentage and .474 slugging percentage were his lowest marks in those categories since 2011. Encarnacion has had four straight years with a declining wRC+, from 151 in 2014 to 115 this season.

The aforementioned quartet of players are the main drivers of Cleveland’s offense, but they can still get some pop from guys like Yonder Alonso (23 homers), Jason Kipnis (18 homers) and Yan Gomes (16 homers).

Another source of power could be Josh Donaldson, who was acquired at the end of August in a trade with the Blue Jays, Donaldson played 16 games with the Indians, hitting .280/.400/.520. That stretch is about equal to what he’d done the previous three years, but his overall numbers for the season weren’t nearly as good.

Speedy outfielder Greg Allen (21 steals) is on the playoff roster. He’ll be joined by a similar player, veteran outfielder Rajai Davis. The team spent some time trying to decide between Davis and infielder Erik Gonzalez and ultimately went with the guy who hit a clutch home run for them in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. It was one of the biggest moments in Cleveland sports history.

Home/Cleveland Guardians