MLB Playoff Schedule 2017: Updated AL, NL Predictions Before Thursday's ALDS

The Boston Red Sox made a huge trade with the Chicago White Sox in the offseason to bring left-handed ace Chris Sale into the fold. The team gave up highly touted prospect Yoan Moncada to get Sale for occasions like Thursday's opening American League Division Series playoff game against the Houston Astros.

Sale had a sensational regular season for the Red Sox, finishing the year with a 17-8 record, a 2.90 ERA and a sensational 308 strikeouts. He will be opposed by Justin Verlander, the former Detroit Tiger who came to the Astros late in the season in an effort to bolster their starting pitching. The 34-year-old Verlander was 5-0 after being traded to the Astros with a 1.06 ERA and 43 strikeouts.

Sale was at his best during the first half of the year. He was somewhat more vulnerable in the second half of the season, and Boston manager John Farrell is hoping that extra rest since his last start (September 26 against Toronto) has refreshed Sale and that he will return to top form in the postseason.

Sale, who pitched for the White Sox from 2010 through 2016, has never pitched in the postseason. He is 5-1 in his career against the Astros with a 1.31 ERA.

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia explains what makes Sale special. "The way he attacks every day, he's always trying to get better," Pedroia said, per Stats TSX (h/t CBSSports.com). "He's a pretty special guy to play with, and we're pretty excited to have him out there on the mound."

The Astros have home-field advantage, and the first pitch is scheduled for 4:08 p.m ET, with the game being broadcast on MLB Network.

Here's the schedule for all four divisional series in the American and National Leagues:

Thursday, Oct. 5
ALDS Game 1: Red Sox at Astros, 4:08 p.m., MLB Network
ALDS Game 1: Yankees at Indians, 7:38 p.m., FS1

Friday, Oct. 6
ALDS Game 2: Red Sox at Astros, 2:05 p.m., FS1
ALDS Game 2: Yankees at Indians, 5:08 p.m., MLB Network
NLDS Game 1: Cubs at Nationals, 7:31 p.m., TBS
NLDS Game 1: Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 10:31 p.m., TBS

Saturday, Oct. 7
NLDS Game 2: Cubs at Nationals, 5:38 p.m., TBS
NLDS Game 2: Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 9:08 p.m., TBS

Sunday, Oct. 8
ALDS Game 3: Astros at Red Sox, 2:38 p.m., FS1
ALDS Game 3: Indians at AL Yankees, 7:38 p.m., FS1

Monday, Oct. 9
ALDS Game 4*: Astros at Red Sox, TBD, FS1
ALDS Game 4*: Indians at Yankees, TBD, FS1
NLDS Game 3: Dodgers at Diamondbacks, TBD, TBS
NLDS Game 3: Nationals at Cubs, TBD, TBS

Tuesday, Oct. 10
NLDS Game 4*: Dodgers at Diamondbacks, TBD, TBS
NLDS Game 4*: Nationals at Cubs, TBD, TBS

Wednesday, Oct. 11
ALDS Game 5*: Red Sox at Astros, TBD, FS1
ALDS Game 5*: Yankees at Indians, TBD, FS1

Thursday, Oct. 12
NLDS Game 5*: Diamondbacks at Dodgers, TBD, TBS
NLDS Game 5*: Cubs at Nationals, TBD, TBS

*-if necessary

The Cleveland Indians start their postseason run at home against the New York Yankees Thursday at 7:38 p.m.

The Indians have unfinished business after getting all the way to the 10th inning of Game 7 of last year's World Series before falling in heartbreaking fashion to the Chicago Cubs.

The Indians had a 22-game winning streak in the second half of the season and earned the best record in the American League. They will have home-field advantage in the American League Championship Series if they survive against the Yankees.

New York defeated the Minnesota Twins 8-4 in the Wild Card Game to earn their spot in the ALDS against the Indians. The Yankees will send right-hander Sonny Gray to the mound, while the Indians will counter with Trevor Bauer.

"They've got a lot of guys who hit for power. They've got some scrappy guys that put the ball in play and run," Bauer said, per Stats TSX, (h/t CBSSports.com). "They can do a lot of things offensively, and they're well-balanced."

Gray was 10-12 with a 3.65 ERA, while Bauer was 17-9 with a 4.19 ERA. It's interesting that Cleveland manager Terry Francona has opted to start Bauer and won't turn to ace Corey Kluber until Game 2, scheduled for Friday at 4:08 p.m.

The National League Division Series will get underway Friday, with the Washington Nationals facing the Cubs at 7:31 p.m. and the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks at 10:31 p.m.

The Diamondbacks outlasted the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in the National League Wild Card Game Wednesday.

The Nationals will send Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.54 ERA) to the mound against Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA).

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Ace Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31 ERA) will pitch for the Dodgers, while Taijuan Walker (9-9, 3.49 ERA) draws the starting assignment for Arizona.

Predictions

The Red Sox were embarrassed in last year's ALDS, losing in three straight to the Indians. They are counting on Sale to get them off to a hot start against the hot-hitting Astros.

Sale will have to slow down Jose Altuve, George Springer, Evan Gattis and Josh Reddick, while the Red Sox will have to figure out Verlander.

Look for Mookie Betts and Pedroia to lead the way as the Red Sox find a way to take the series in five games.

Cleveland is the strongest team going into the playoffs, but they will find the Yankees to be a formidable opponent. Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorius lead this powerful offense, and they may be good enough to win a game from the Tribe.

However, the Yankees' pitching staff will not be able to contain Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Cleveland's clutch hitting. The Indians take the series in four games.

The Cubs may have less pressure than either the Nats or the Dodgers since they ended 108 years of frustration by winning last year's World Series. However, there are issues with Chicago's starting pitching, and the Nationals will take advantage and beat the Cubs in four games.

The Dodgers played poorly after dominating the National League for the first three-quarters of the season. They played like an unstoppable force until the latter part of August and early September, when they lost 16 of 17 games.

They were swept twice while in that funk by the Diamondbacks, and they won't get past Arizona. The D-backs take the series in four games.