The Astros showed why they are a team to be reckoned with yesterday, coming from behind against Red Sox ace Chris Sale to win the division series and move onto the championship series against the winner of the Yankees and Indians in Game 5 Wednesday in Cleveland.

Chris Sale lost two of the three games, and Justin Verlander won two of three.

Verlander has been the best trade deadline deal of 2017, going 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA in five games for Houston since coming over from Detroit.

By comparison, the Rangers made a deal that very same day for starting pitching to get them over the top of the wide-open wild card race. Rather than snagging Verlander, Texas opted for Miguel Gonzalez. In his five games with Texas, Gonzalez went 1-3 with a 6.45 ERA.

5-0, 1.06.

1-3, 6.45.

That is the Jon Daniels difference.

*****
TODAY’S GAMES:

Tanner Roarke (13-11, 4.67) vs Jake Arrieta (14-10, 3.53)
Game time: 4:38 on TBS

How the Nationals hit against Arrieta.
How the Cubs hit against Roarke.