It’s the Yankees and Astros.

The MVP vote in the American League will come down to Jose Altuve and Aaron Judge. The championship of the American League will come down to Altuve’s team and Judge’s team.

The irony is so thick you need something that cuts thick irony to cut through it.

This match-up is no surprise. There were three elite teams in the American League. These are two of them.

The top two teams in the AL in runs scored this year were the Astros then the Yankees. The Astros were first in hits, the Yankees third. The Yankees were first in home runs, the Astros second. The Astros were first in RBIs, the Yankees second. The Astros were first in average, the Yankees third. The Astros were first in on-base percentage, the Yankees third.

On the pitching side, the Yankees were third in ERA, the Astros fifth. The Yankees gave up the second fewest home runs, the Astros the third fewest.

So, yes, these are very evenly matched teams.

The Yankees have 27 world championships, the Astros 0.

*****
TODAY’S GAMES:

Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.-3) vs Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96)
Game time: 7:08 on TBS

How the Cubs hit against Gonzalez.
How the Nationals hit against Hendricks.