Astros turn attention to 'impressive' Dodgers
HOUSTON -- Once bitter rivals in the National League West, the Astros and Dodgers will renew acquaintances in the World Series beginning Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.• Dress for World Series: Shop Astros gearHouston, which moved from the NL West following the 1993 season and to the American League 20 years
HOUSTON -- Once bitter rivals in the National League West, the Astros and Dodgers will renew acquaintances in the World Series beginning Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.
• Dress for World Series: Shop Astros gear
Houston, which moved from the NL West following the 1993 season and to the American League 20 years after that, won its first AL pennant by beating the Yankees, 4-0, in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series on Saturday night.
Los Angeles, which won 104 games in the regular season, rolled through the playoffs by sweeping Arizona in the NL Division Series before dispatching the defending World Series champion Cubs in five games in the NLCS. Three-time NL Cy Young Award winner
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"Quality ballclub," Keuchel said. "They led the Major Leagues in wins for a reason. They won a lot of games in a row in the middle part of the season. They're not to be taken lightly, but we're not to be either."
Like Houston, L.A. has a star-studded team that has few weaknesses. The Dodgers' lineup has power throughout, led by first baseman
"They're a good team," Houston's 40-year-old designated hitter
Outfielder
"They're impressive," Reddick said. "What they did in the playoffs has been special. They've got great pitching, their lineup comes together really well. We've got all those things as well. We've got to learn how to deal with Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill, and keep
Everyone put your hands up if you're excited we're going to the #worldseries ππ»ππ»ππ»ππ»ππ»ππ»ππ»ππ»ππ»ππ» #earnhistory @asβ¦ https://t.co/dwmHG6upVY pic.twitter.com/KXX6aF2hd3
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) October 22, 2017
The history between the clubs is deep.
The Astros beat the Dodgers in a tiebreaker game for the 1980 NL West title at Dodger Stadium, and a year later, Houston lost to L.A. in the NL West Division Series that was implemented because of a players' strike. In 1986, longtime Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda said the Astros were "renting" first place, and Houston wound up winning the division running away.
Nolan Ryan threw his record fifth no-hitter against Los Angeles for Houston in 1981, and the teams played a 22-inning game in the Astrodome in '89. The Astros' most recent no-hitter, thrown by Mike Fiers in 2015, was against the Dodgers at Minute Maid Park in Interleague Play.
"I think a lot of us have been keeping a close eye on what they're doing," Houston third baseman
What's more, Astros manager A.J. Hinch and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts are close friends who text each other frequently during the season.
"To be able to manage against him in the World Series is going to be pretty special," Hinch said. "They're really good. We had our hands full with the Yankees. I watched some of their series, and we'll study up on the plane [to Los Angeles]. We'll be prepared by Tuesday, but they have the most wins in baseball for a reason."
Brian McTaggart has covered the Astros since 2004, and for MLB.com since 2009. Follow @brianmctaggart on Twitter.