Now is Keuchel time
With its season on the line, Houston leans upon ace left-hander.
— Dallas Keuchel repeated himself a couple of times Sunday in the visiting clubhouse at Chase Field, calling the Houston Astros’ wild-card celebration just “the best feeling” as suds were trapped in his beard.
“I’ve never been on a pl ayoff team,” Keuchel said. “To get this, and have fun with these guys who have worked so hard to get there — no better feeling in the world.”
Besides continuing to advance, of course.
Keuchel will get the bal l on three days’ rest Tuesday when the Astros face New York at Yankee Stadium in the American League wild-card game. It’s a win-or-gohome scenario agai nst a legendary franchise in a baseball-rabid city that’s known
for intense October atmospheres.
“I’m always thinking about it,” Keuchel said of Tuesday’s outing. “I love it.”
It’s not a small task, but Keuchel has a lot in his corner, if you will.
For one, the lefty might be the best pitcher in the American League this season. He won 20 games and finished with a 2.48 ERA in 232 innings, striking out 216 while also carrying the second-best groundball rate among qualified pitchers.
What’s most encouraging: He has dominated the Yankees as much as if not more than any other team he opposed this year. He faced 16 clubs a varying number of times. The only team that did not score off him in any start was the Yankees. In 16 innings and two starts, Keuchel allowed nine hits, walked one and struck out 21.
“Bigger competition brings out the bigger competitor, and there’s not a better stage than Yankee Stadium,” Keuchel said.
On June 25, Keuchel threw a complete-game shutout in Houston, and he followed that up with seven shutout innings Aug. 25 in the Bronx.
October can be different in New York, though.
“New York is the No. 1 in media and everything. It’s going to be crazy,” said Astros lefty Oliver Perez, who experienced that postseason atmosphere with the Mets in 2006. “At the same time, it’s fun, but that’s what we play for. We’re going to play one game, and we’re going to play like it’s Game 7 of the World Series.”
Asked what about his routine would be altered in going on three days’ rest rather than four, Keuchel replied, “Nothing.”
In Friday’s game, he threw just 99 pitches — none particularly highstress because of the lead the Astros built in a 21-5 win. So he’s not coming off a highly taxing outing, and doesn’t rely on velocity anyway.
“Why wouldn’t you go with your best guy?” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s been here before the whole year; he’s been the pitcher of the month in the American League a lot of months. He’s the one guy I’d want to hand the ball to with the season on the line in a one-game playoff.”
Chad Qualls pitched briefly for the Yankees. With the Astros’ youth movement, he pointed out, comes an almost desirable tunnel vision.
“I think they’re going to thrive on it,” Qualls said. “Our guys are so young, but it’s like me in ’04 and ’05. ... I wanted to get out there and play. There’s no nerves. They want to go out there and play and get the job done and get their hits.
“It’s phenomenal to watch these guys coming up here and mature. ... These young guys are fun to watch. It makes me wish I was 25 again and could play at my young age.”
Keuchel’s not worried about how rested he’ll be Tuesday.
“At this point in the year, you feel great even when you don’t,” he said.
‘He’s the one guy I’d want to hand the ball to with the season on the line in a one-game playoff.’
Astros manager A.J. Hinch on lefty Dallas Keuchel