5 factors that will decide the ALCS between the Astros and Rangers

#3: Bochy vs. Baker

Both teams are led by Hall of Fame managers that not all that long ago were out of baseball. Bruce Bochy won three titles with the Giants, but was out of the game from 2020-2022. Dusty Baker returned in 2020 to stabilize the Astros after a two-year hiatus from managing. 

Baker has a far better regular season resume, (Bochy is somehow under .500 for his career) but Bochy is a master at managing bullpens in the postseason. 

He’s already displayed his prowess somehow getting through the first two rounds with no damage done to one of the worst bullpens in the game. 

We’ve questioned Baker quite a bit this year, and while much of his regular season decision making can be pointed to as the reason the Astros didn’t clinch the West until the final day, he’s been phenomenal so far in the postseason. 

In an evenly matched series on the field and in the dugouts, it’ll likely come down to who pushes what buttons and when.