MLB Playoff Picture 2022: Hot Takes and Top Storylines for October 20 Schedule

The Houston Astros concocted an ideal formula to beat the New York Yankees to open the ALCS on Wednesday.

Framber Valdez and whichever bullpen arms follow him in Game 2 should follow the same blueprint to give the Astros a 2-0 series lead heading to New York.

The Yankees need to be much better at the plate against Valdez to earn a split inside Minute Maid Park.

New York struck out 17 times in Game 1, including 11 times against Justin Verlander. That number is way too high to even have a shot at winning a postseason game.

The Yankees would love to earn a split to set up Gerrit Cole for a momentum-changing win in Game 2, but Houston may have the right answer to calm down the Yankees offense again.

Framber Valdez Holds Slight Edge in Game 2 Pitching Matchup

Framber Valdez might be considered the AL Cy Young favorite if his teammate Justin Verlander was a bit less dominant on the hill.

Valdez was a quality start machine who finished the regular season with a 17-6 record.

The formula for a Valdez start is to have the left-hander go six or seven innings and then let the dominant arms in the Houston bullpen take over.

Houston followed that formula to perfection in ALDS Game 2. Valdez threw 5.2 innings, and the four relievers who followed him combined to allow one hit.

Valdez lasted into the sixth inning in three of his four previous ALCS starts. He went eight innings in his last ALCS start in Game 5 against the Boston Red Sox last season.

Valdez only allowed two hits in his lone meeting with the Yankees this season. He walked three and conceded three earned runs, but he also struck out seven batters.

If Valdez eliminates the walks, the Yankees may have a tough time getting on base after their miserable output in Game 1.

Luis Severino has been solid through two postseason starts for the Yankees, but he did give up five earned runs on eight hits in two regular-season starts against Houston.

The Yankees failed to give Severino any run support in each of those games. The Astros won those contests by 3-1 and 2-1 scores.

Valdez has been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball all season long, and if Houston gets the same output from him in Game 2, it should be in great shape going to New York.

Severino has the potential to match Valdez, but the Astros may have a slight advantage after seeing him twice and by having the better lineup.

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New York's Lineup Needs To Avoid Another Miserable Showing

The Yankees were humiliated at the plate in Game 1.

New York batters struck out on 17 occasions against Verlander and three relievers. Houston had two strikeouts in the entire game.

Six of the nine starters in the New York lineup struck out on multiple occasions. Matt Carpenter fanned four times.

Carpenter will not be in the lineup against the left-handed Valdez, but Josh Donaldson, Harrison Bader and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa still will be.

The bottom four batters in the Yankees order combined to go 2-for-16 with 10 strikeouts. Bader's solo home run was the only bright spot from that part of the lineup.

Gleyber Torres and Aaron Judge only struck out three times between them, but they also did not record a hit from the top of the order.

If New York is unable to sustain any rallies in Game 2, the result will be pretty easy to figure out.

Not everything was bad from the Yankees order, as Giancarlo Stanton provided two hits and Anthony Rizzo went yard, but one or two hits followed by strikeouts will not get the job done.

The Yankees are more than capable of flexing their power, or driving in runs in key situations, but Game 1's performance showed us how bad they can be if almost nothing goes right at the plate.