Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros: 3 X-factors to watch in ALCS
By Kevin Henry
Let’s stick with the Red Sox but move to the offensive side of the equation for our next X-factor. That is Bobby Dalbec, who went 0-for-6 with a pair of strikeouts against Tampa Bay in the ALDS.
Why Bobby Dalbec could be an X-factor for the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS
The 26-year-old Dalbec totaled an even 100 hits on the season, including 25 home runs as part of a .240/.298/.494 slash line. The power was certainly there for Dalbec, but so were the strikeouts as he whiffed in 156 of his 417 at-bats this season (37.4 percent of the time).
Dalbec was red hot in August, posting a .339/.431/.774 slash line with a 1.205 OPS. Those numbers cooled somewhat the rest of the season, but his .928 OPS in September and October was the second-highest for him of the campaign, following August’s streak.
He entered the postseason on a tear, but is a combined 0-for-10 against the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card game and versus the Rays. And, yes, strikeouts have been an issue, with four of the 10 postseason at-bats ending with a K. Can Dalbec’s power play a role for the Red Sox in a series where they may need to outscore the Astros to grab a victory? The answer to that could play a big part in Boston’s success or lack thereof in the ALCS.