New York @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2019 ) Houston 9, NY Yankees 4

The New York Yankees and Houston Astros jockeyed for the top spot in the American League for much of the regular season, so it is only fitting that the two talent-laden clubs will meet in the American League Championship Series, which begins Saturday night in Houston. The Astros are seeking a return to the World Series for the second time in three years, when they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers after knocking off the Yankees in the ALCS in seven games.

"We're ready for them," Houston outfielder Josh Reddick told the media after his team finished off the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS on Thursday. "We know it's going to be a good series. We know they're a great ballclub, but we're a better ballclub." The home team won all seven games when the teams met in the 2017 ALCS, with the Astros clinching a berth in the World Series by holding the Yankees to a total of three runs in four games in Houston. The Astros will hope for similar results on the mound in Game 1 behind Zack Greinke, who struggled in his one outing against the Rays in the ALDS. New York, which swept Minnesota out of its division series with a combined winning margin of 23-7, is beginning its MLB-leading 17th ALCS with Masahiro Tanaka on the mound Saturday.

TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (1-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Astros RH Zack Greinke (0-1, 14.73)

Tanaka continued to shine in the postseason with a win over the Twins last Saturday, allowing a run and three hits with seven strikeouts over five solid innings. He is 4-2 with a 1.54 ERA in six career starts in the playoffs, including two in the 2017 ALCS against Houston in which he let up just two runs across 13 total innings. The 30-year-old had a pair of quality starts against the Astros during the regular season.

Greinke lasted only 3 2/3 innings at Tampa Bay on Monday and was charged with six runs on five hits - three home runs - with five strikeouts. That left the former Cy Young Award winner with a 3-5 record and a 4.58 ERA in 12 career postseason starts. He has a 5.05 career mark versus New York - his highest against any team he has faced at least 10 times - but yielded three runs in 12 2/3 frames against the Yankees during the regular season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros SS Carlos Correa was 9-for-27 with a home run and three doubles in the 2017 ALCS.

2. The Yankees are expected to add LHP CC Sabathia and OF Aaron Hicks to the ALCS roster after both were left off for the ALDS.

3. New York will follow with LHP James Paxton in Game 2 on Sunday and RHP Luis Severino in Game 3 on Tuesday. Houston counters with RHP Justin Verlander opposite Paxton and RHP Gerrit Cole against Severino.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Astros 4