Sunday's two American League Division Series games will see two teams looking to stay alive and avoid being swept. The Boston Red Sox have lost to the Houston Astros 8-2 in each of the first two games and will send veteran Doug Fister to the mound for Game 3. The New York Yankees blew a five-run lead in Game 2 to the Cleveland Indians and will now bring out Opening Day starter Masahiro Tanaka to try to extend their season.
Here is a look at all four pitchers who will be starting Sunday's American League Division Series games. It includes how they performed in the regular season if they ended the season on a high note or struggled, how they fared against their Sunday opponent this season and their postseason career.
Doug Fister, Red Sox
Fister did not appear in a major league game until June 25 this year after he was picked up off waivers by the Red Sox from the Los Angeles Angels. The 33-year-old made 18 appearances (15 starts) this season with Boston finishing with a 5-9 record and 4.88 ERA. He had a 1.38 WHIP in the regular season and 83 strikeouts in 90.1 innings.
Boston likely needs a better start out of him than the ones he provided to end the regular season if they want to stay alive. Fister went 0-2 in his last four starts with a 9.18 ERA. Opposing hitters have batted .338 off him in those last four starts.
Fister faced Houston once during the regular season in what was his last start. On September 29, he took the loss as he went 5.1 innings giving up three runs and striking out five.
In his postseason career, Fister has pitched well for the most part. In nine appearances (eight starts) he is 4-2 with a 2.60 ERA. He started a game in the 2011 World Series with the Detroit Tigers. Fister last appeared in postseason play in the 2014 National League Division Series with the Washington Nationals.
Brad Peacock, Astros
Peacock was a revelation for the Astros this season. After missing much of 2015 with an injury and spending more time in the minors than the majors in 2016, the 29-year old went 13-2 this year. He finished with a 3.00 ERA during the regular season in 34 games (21 starts). He struck out well over a batter an inning with 161 in 132 innings.
Peacock was 3-0 in his last six starts of the regular season and didn't give up more than two runs in any of them. He had a 2.38 ERA, and opposing hitters batted just .158.
He faced the Red Sox once in the regular season in his last start on September 28. Peacock received the win in an outing where he gave up two runs in five innings. He allowed four hits and a walk while striking out two.
This will be Peacock's first career playoff appearance, and it will be one where he can help officially close the Red Sox 2017 season.
Carlos Carrasco, Indians
Carrasco will have the opportunity to close out the series and is coming off a regular season where his 18 wins were tied for most in the majors. In 32 starts, he had a 3.29 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 226 strikeouts in 200 innings.
The 30-year-old has been one of the hottest pitchers in baseball entering the postseason. Carrasco is 6-0 in his last seven starts with a 1.27 ERA. He struck out 59 and only walked six in 49.2 innings. Other than giving up four runs against the Kansas City Royals on September 16, he did not give up more than one in any of the other six starts.
Carrasco only faced the Yankees once during the course of the regular season and took the loss. He struggled in the Indians 8-1 defeat on August 6, as he gave up five runs in 5.2 innings. He gave up six hits, two walks, and struck out six.
This will be Carrasco's postseason debut, as he missed the Indians run to the World Series in 2016 due to a fractured bone in his hand.
Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees
The 28-year-old Tanaka hopes to give the Yankees a win in Game 3 to keep their World Series hopes alive. Tanaka had his worst ERA by over a run in his four-year career at 4.74 during the regular season. He went 13-12 in 30 starts with a 1.24 WHIP and 194 strikeouts in 178.1 innings.
Tanaka was much better after the All-Star break. After posting a 5.47 ERA before the All-Star break, he had a much more Tanaka-like 3.77 ERA after. In two of his last four starts, he gave up seven earned runs, although he pitched a gem in his last start on September 29 against the Toronto Blue Jays. He went seven innings and allowed three hits and no runs while striking out 15 Toronto hitters.
Not one of Tanaka's regular season starts were against the Indians. He has started four games against Cleveland in his career going 1-1 with a 4.63 ERA.
It will be just Tanaka's second career postseason start with his first coming in the 2015 American League Wild Card Game. He took the loss in that game as he went five innings giving up two runs on four hits and three walks.
