All four of the top seeds progress from the Division Series, and all by a score of 3-1. That sets out a Padres-Marlin NL Championship and a 6th consecutive Royals-Astros AL Championship, with the Astros winning three of the past five.
The Royals took the regular season series 5-2 between the two winningest teams in baseball in 2046.
The Astros are as balanced a team as the Royals with the 3rd best runs scored and runs against totals in the American League.
These teams are very familiar with each other with the Astros batting line up including three former Royals in 3B Mike Campney, LF Mike Thomas, and CF Juan Soreni (a 2046 Free Agent signing). The two Mikes have once again paced the offence, sitting one and two in average, HRs, and RBIs. Their fourth former Royal, Natalino Villa will miss the series, having again suffered a serious injury, a broken bone in his elbow meaning he is still out for 2-3 months.
First ballot hall of famer J.J. Tjepkema fronts their pitching rotation, and earned 17 wins behind a 3.01 ERA and 228 K over 227 IP. Juan Silva also recorded an ERA under 4.00, as he earned 15 wins while closer Arturo Castillo recorded 36 saves in 60 appearances. The bullpen has one former Royal in LHP Julio Pesina (4.88 ERA) while SP Juan Llamas is another former-Royals who misses out with a torn meniscus in his knee; he will miss another 3-4 months.
Game 1 in Kansas City: Chris Kuehn vs. J.J. Tjepkema (2042 Free Agent)
- Houston wins 3-1
- Tjepkema (W): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R
- Luis Danys Rhodes (L): 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R
- Arturo Castillo (SV): 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R
- Houston HRs: Jake Snyder (5th)
- Kansas City HRs: Nelson Canjura (6th)
- 1-0 Houston
Game 2 in Kansas City: Ben Lane vs Juan Silva (2038 Scouting Discovery)
- Kansas City wins 11-7
- Lane: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R
- Bob Capozziello (W): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R
- Silva (L): 0.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R
- Houston HRs: Nelson Aguirre (1st), Hunter Chaulk (2nd, 3R), Snyder (3rd)
- Kansas City HRs: Estanislau Covete (1st, 2R), Bobby Nickelberry (2nd)
- POTG: Hunter Chaulk (HOU) 2-2, 2 BB, HR, 3 RBI
- 1-1 Series Tied
Game 3 in Houston: Cason Willard vs Monfre Saavedra (2046 Trade PHI)
- Kansas City wins 7-3
- Willard (W): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R
- Saavedra (L): 4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R
- Houston HRs: Snyder (4th), Mike Haley (5th, 2R)
- Kansas City HRs: Jadon Tezeno (5th, 2R), Luis Montoya (5th), Juan Minnelli (7th)
- Robbie Austin (HOU) Injured while pitching – pending
- 2-1 Kansas City
Game 4 in Houston: Ethan Chafin vs Joe Blevins (2046 Trade STL)
- Kansas City wins 7-4
- Chafin: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R
- Jeremy Ogans (W): 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R
- Blevins (L): 4.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R
- Rhodes (SV): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R
- Houston HRs: Juan Soreni (3rd)
- Kansas City HRs: Montoya (2nd, 2R), Nickelberry (5th)
- POTG: Juan Soreni (HOU) 3-4, HR
- Ethan Chafin (KC) injured while pitching – 2 weeks
- 3-1 Kansas City
Game 5 in Houston: Kuehn vs Tjepkema
- Kansas City wins 9-1
- Kuehn (W): 6.0 IP, 9 H, 1 R
- Tjepkema (L) 6.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R
- Kansas City HRs: Luis Aceves (3rd), Tezeno (4th), Arturo Oramas (7th, 3R), Covete (9th, 2R)
- Nelson Aguirre injured running the bases – pending
- POTG: Arturo Oramas (KC) 3-5, HR, 3 RBI
- 4-1 Kansas City wins
Series MVP: Bobby Nickelberry (KC) 8-19, 2 HR, 5 RBI