MLB Playoff Bracket 2018: Live Stream Schedule, Predictions for Saturday's ALDS

Following a full Friday of postseason MLB action, the American League takes center stage for a pair of American League Division Series Game 2 showdowns.

The Houston Astros commenced their title defense with four long balls and another Justin Verlander gem to take an early lead over the Cleveland Indians. Both division champions have another ace in tow for the second bout at Minute Maid Park.

Reigniting their storied rivalry in October, the Boston Red Sox pegged J.A. Happ for five runs before the New York Yankees could hand a lead to their dominant bullpen. After escaping with a 5-4 triumph, they will rely on David Price to reverse his playoff struggles against a rival that has routinely given him trouble.

With tons of star power on display, let's break down each of Saturday's pivotal Game 2 matchups.

MLB Playoff Bracket

ALDS: Houston Astros 1, Cleveland Indians 0

ALDS: Boston Red Sox 1, New York Yankees 0

NLDS: Milwaukee Brewers 2, Colorado Rockies 0

NLDS: Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Atlanta Braves 0

ALDS Schedule: Saturday, Oct. 6

Cleveland Indians at Houston Astros: 4:37 p.m. ET on TB

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox: 8:15 p.m. ET on TBS

Live Stream: TBS Watch Live

Cleveland Indians vs. Houston Astros

Brian Davidson/Getty Images

Game 1's battle between former AL Cy Young Award winners went far better for Verlander than Corey Kluber, who ceded home runs to Alex Bregman, George Springer, Martin Maldonado and Jose Altuve in a 7-2 loss.

Springer stayed hot on the grand stage by depositing his eighth dinger in 25 career postseason bouts:

The onerous task of silencing Houston's young studs now falls to Carlos Carrasco. After tossing 5.2 scoreless frames in last year's 1-0 ALDS loss to the Yankees, Cleveland's overlooked ace netted a 3.38 ERA and career-high 231 strikeouts this season.

He will face one of the few teams able to deploy another elite hurler. In his first season with the Astros, Gerrit Cole posted a 2.88 ERA and 276 strikeouts, the AL's second-highest clip behind Houston's Game 1 victor.

In addition to de-emphasizing a sinker that yielded a 132 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) last season, the strikeout percentage on Cole's four-seam fastball soared from 24.5 to 32.8 percent. Per David Barron of the Houston Chronicle, the 28-year-old righty credited the Astros for unlocking his ace ceiling.

"They're really forward-thinking," Cole said. "They have a system analytically that's really advanced and is designed ... for the player to better themselves. And then A.J. [Hinch] plays his hand accordingly on how he wants to design the lineup or the defense and whatnot."

It won't be easy to score off Cole, but Cleveland still needs an early lead. Although the strength of 2016's World Series run, the bullpen betrayed the AL Central champions by allowing a 4.60 ERA this season. On Friday, the Astros tacked on three insurance runs—two against Cody Allen—at the backsliding unit's expense.

The Astros, on the other hand, are so flush with bullpen options that Joe Smith, Brad Peacock and Chris Devenski didn't even make the ALDS roster. This advantage—and Houston's superfluous power—will make all the difference in a well-pitched game from Cole and Carrasco.

Prediction: Astros 4, Indians 3

New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Remember Cleveland's 1-0 loss started by Carrasco last year? Masahiro Tanaka tossed seven shutout innings on the other end of the pitchers' duel.

It was the first of three sensational playoff turns for the righty, who yielded 13 baserunners (10 hits and three walks) and two runs through 20 frames. For those who justifiably dismiss October as old news, his 2.85 second-half ERA offers a more recent dose of success.

Tanaka is nearly unhittable when effectively commanding a devastating slider that flummoxed opponents to a .173/.227/.318 slash line and 27.4 strikeout percentage this season. Yet he also surrendered a 6.26 ERA in four starts against the Red Sox, who hit sliders better than any team in baseball. 

Despite Tanaka's 2018 struggles against the potent AL East rival, viewers will hear far more about Price's well-documented difficulties combatting the Bronx Bombers. 

Price has stumbled to a 4.90 ERA in 250 career innings against his long-term adversary. Although this marks the former AL Cy Young Award winner's ninth playoff appearance for a fourth AL squad, he has yet to encounter the Yankees in the postseason.

Talk of his overall October shortcomings will also resurface if he falters. He lowered his career playoff ERA to 5.08 by tossing 6.2 innings from the bullpen in last year's ALDS. 

Price is also rolling into October with a 2.25 ERA after the All-Star break. And at least the game takes place at Fenway Park, where he posted a 2.98 ERA.

Yet the Yankees belted an MLB-high 82 long balls against southpaws during the season while stamping the second-best wRC+ (115) behind the Astros. Boston ranked second in wRC+ (116) versus righties, so don't be surprised if either or both starters are knocked out early.

A battle of bullpens would favor the Yankees, and manager Aaron Boone should not hesitate to open the reliever floodgates. Pounded for a 7.91 ERA the third time through the order, Tanaka earned a 2.61 ERA in 120.2 previous innings.

New York's starter just needs to hold the fort down for four or five frames before Boone unleashes his late-inning power pitchers on Boston.

Prediction: Yankees 6, Red Sox 4

Note: All advanced stats are courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.