2018 American League Division Series
Teams
Team (Wins) Manager Season Boston Red Sox (3) Alex Cora 108–54 (.667), GA: 8 New York Yankees (1) Aaron Boone 100–62 (.617), GB: 8
Dates	October 5–9
Television	TBS
TV announcers	Brian Anderson,Ron Darling, andLauren Shehadi
Radio	ESPN
Radio announcers	Jon Sciambi andJessica Mendoza
Umpires	Dan Bellino,Cory Blaser,Fieldin Culbreth,Angel Hernandez,D. J. Reyburn,Mike Winters (crew chief)
Teams
Team (Wins) Manager Season Houston Astros (3) A. J. Hinch 103–59 (.636), GA: 6 Cleveland Indians (0) Terry Francona 91–71 (.562), GA: 13
Dates	October 5–8
Television	TBS
TV announcers	Don Orsillo,Dennis Eckersley, andHazel Mae
Radio	ESPN
Radio announcers	Dave Flemming andJim Bowden
Umpires	Chris Conroy,Chad Fairchild,Andy Fletcher,Jerry Layne (crew chief),Jeff Nelson,Tim Timmons
ALWC	New York Yankees defeatedOakland Athletics, 7–2
← 2017 ALDS 2019 →

The2018 American League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series inMajor League Baseball’s (MLB)2018 postseason to determine the participating teams of the2018 American League Championship Series. The three divisional winners, seeded 1–3, and a fourth team — theWild Card Game winner — played in two series. These matchups were:

• (1)Boston Red Sox (East Division champions) vs. (4)New York Yankees (Wild Card Game winner): Red Sox win series 3–1.
• (2)Houston Astros (West Division champions) vs. (3)Cleveland Indians (Central Division champions): Astros win series 3–0.^[1][2]

Under sponsorship agreements withT-Mobile, the series was formally known as theAmerican League Division Series presented by T-Mobile.^[3] The Astros and Red Sox won their respective series, to advance to the Championship Series. This is the first time since1999 that all four ALDS participants from the previous year returned to the ALDS this year.

The Red Sox went on to defeat the Astros in the ALCS, then win the2018 World Series over the National League championLos Angeles Dodgers.

The Red Sox entered the ALDS as the 1 seed, having won theAL East with the best regular season with a record of 108–54, giving them home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs. The second-seeded Astros won theAL West, going 103–59. TheAL Central champion Indians were seeded third via their 91–71 record. The final participant was the winner of theAL Wild Card Game, the Yankees.

This was the 13th ALDS appearance for Boston and the third appearance for Houston; the Red Sox lost to the Astros in the2017 ALDS. This was the 10th ALDS appearance for Cleveland and the 20th appearance for New York; the Indians lost to the Yankees in the 2017 ALDS. This was the first season ever three teams finished with100-wins in the same league.

The Red Sox and Yankees met 19 times during the regular season, with Boston winning 10 of the games; this was the first postseason meeting between the two rivals since the famed2004 ALCS, which Boston took inseven games after falling behind 3–0 en route to its firstWorld Series title in 86 years.^[4] The Astros and Indians met seven times during the regular season, with Houston holding a 4–3 edge;^[4] this was the first time the teams met in postseason play.

Boston won the series, 3–1.

Houston won the series, 3–0.

This was the fourth postseason meeting betweenthe storied rivals and their first meeting in the ALDS. The Yankees previously won the1999 ALCS and2003 ALCS, while the Red Sox won the2004 ALCS. This was just the 11th postseason match-up to feature two 100-win teams.^[12]

Theceremonial first pitch was thrown by former Red Sox outfielderTrot Nixon.^[13][14] Boston took an early lead, asJ. D. Martinez hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. The lead grew to 5–0 in the bottom of the third, on a double, bunt single, single, andsacrifice fly. The Yankees scored twice in the top of the sixth, on three singles and afielder's choice. Red Sox relieverBrandon Workman prevented more damage by striking outGleyber Torres with thebases loaded and two outs. New York added an additional run in the top of the seventh, with two singles, a walk, and a fielder's choice; Boston relieverMatt Barnes allowed only one run after the Yankees has the bases loaded with nobody out.Aaron Judge led off the top of the ninth with a home run off of BostoncloserCraig Kimbrel, but Kimbrel then struck out the next three batters to secure the 5–4 Red Sox victory.^[15]

Theceremonial first pitch was thrown by Steve Horgan of theBoston Police Department, who gained notoriety as the "bullpen cop" during Game 2 of the2013 ALCS.^[16] A home run byAaron Judge in the first inning gave New York an early 1–0 lead. In the second inning,Gary Sánchez homered, and Boston starterDavid Price gave up a pair of two-out walks followed by an RBI single fromAndrew McCutchen, ending Price's outing after1+2⁄3 innings, having allowed three runs on three hits.Xander Bogaerts' home run in the bottom of the fourth reduced the Yankees' lead to 3–1. A three-run homer by Sánchez in the top of the seventh, his second of the game, doubled New York's score to 6–1. In the bottom of the seventh, a single byMitch Moreland and an RBI double byIan Kinsler got Boston within four runs, 6–2. The Red Sox were unable to score again, with Yankees' relieversZach Britton andAroldis Chapman getting the final six outs. New York starterMasahiro Tanaka pitched five innings, allowing one run on three hits and getting the win, tying the series at one all.

Boston got on the board in the top of the second inning, withRafael Devers scoring from third on a two-out infield single byChristian Vázquez. The lead was extended to 3–0 in the third, with the Red Sox getting two runs on two singles, asacrifice fly, another single, and afielder's choice. Boston broke the game open in the fourth, sending 11 men to the plate and getting seven runs on six hits, as Yankees starterLuis Severino was pulled forLance Lynn who in turn was relieved byChad Green.Brock Holt had two hits in the inning, whileAndrew Benintendi drove in three runs with a bases clearing double.[1] The Yankees got one run back in the bottom of the fourth, on two singles and a fielder's choice. Boston made it 11–1 in the top of the seventh, on aJ. D. Martinez RBI single, then 14–1 in the top of the eighth, getting three runs on a total of four hits, a walk, and awild pitch. Yankees catcherAustin Romine pitched the top of the ninth inning, allowing a two-run homer to Holt, who completed the first postseasoncycle in Major League history.^[17] Red Sox starterNathan Eovaldi pitched seven innings, allowing one run on five hits and getting the win. Yankees starterLuis Severino pitched three innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and taking the loss. First base umpireÁngel Hernández had three calls overturned in the first four innings of the game.^[18] The defeat marks the Yankees' worst loss in postseason history.^[19]

Theceremonial first pitch was thrown by former YankeeBucky Dent.^[20] Boston took a 3–0 lead in the top of the third inning, on ahit by pitch, single,J. D. Martinezsacrifice fly,Ian Kinsler RBI double, and anEduardo Núñez RBI single. AChristian Vázquez home run in the fourth extended the lead to 4–0. New York got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, on two hits followed by a sacrifice fly fromBrett Gardner. Boston's Game 1 starting pitcher,Chris Sale, made a relief appearance in the bottom of the eighth, retiring the side in order. Red SoxcloserCraig Kimbrel entered to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning, allowing a leadoff walk toAaron Judge followed by a single byDidi Gregorius, bringing the tying run to the plate. Kimbrel struck outGiancarlo Stanton, but walkedLuke Voit to load the bases, andhitNeil Walker to force in a run.Gary Sánchez worked afull count before hitting a sacrifice fly that scored Gregorius from third.Gleyber Torres then grounded out, ending the game; the call was confirmed by video replay. Boston starterRick Porcello allowed one run off of four hits in five innings for the win. New York starterCC Sabathia allowed three runs off of five hits in three innings, taking the loss.

2018 ALDS (3–1):Boston Red Sox defeatedNew York Yankees.

This was the first postseason meeting between the Astros and Indians.

Former Astros pitcherMike Scott, the 1986 NLCS MVP and Cy Young Award winner, threw the ceremonial first pitch. The defending World Series champion Astros began their title defense in strong fashion asJustin Verlander threw5+1⁄3 innings with 7 strikeouts and 2 earned runs, holding the Indians hitless until the 6th inning. He andCorey Kluber traded hitless innings through the 3rd, beforeAlex Bregman led off the bottom of the 4th with a home run whileJosh Reddick added an RBI single to bring the score to 2–0.George Springer andJose Altuve hit back to back home runs in the bottom of the 5th and ended Kluber's day after4+2⁄3 innings. After throwing five innings of no-hit ball, the Indians chased Verlander in the 6th after loading the bases.Ryan Pressly came in relief allowingYan Gomes to score on a wild pitch andFrancisco Lindor on aJosé Ramírez groundout before striking outEdwin Encarnación to end the threat and keep the score at 4–2.Martin Maldonado homered and Bregman drove in his second run of the day in the 7th while Reddick added another RBI single in the 8th to bring the score to 7–2.Roberto Osuna closed the door in the 9th to give the Astros a dominant Game 1 victory. Springer's home run tied him withCarlos Beltrán for the club record for most consecutive postseason games with a home run, with five. Springer had four in a row in the2017 World Series.^[21]

Three-time Astros All-Star and 2005 NLCS MVPRoy Oswalt threw the ceremonial first pitch. Hoping to even the series before returning home, Cleveland struck first and took a 1–0 lead in the top of the third inning, on a home run byFrancisco Lindor. In the bottom of the sixth, an infield single and walk followed by aMarwin González double gave Houston a 2–1 lead. A home run byAlex Bregman in the seventh inning extended Houston's lead to 3–1. With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, a walk toEdwin Encarnación broughtJosh Donaldson to the plate as the tying run, but closerRoberto Osuna got him to fly out, securing Game 2 for the Astros. Houston starterGerrit Cole struck out 12 and allowed just one run in seven innings for the win, while Indians starterCarlos Carrasco gave up six hits and two runs in5+1⁄3 innings and took the loss. Cole became only the second pitcher in playoff history to strikeout at least 12 batters without allowing a walk, followingTom Seaver's 13 strikeout-no walk performance in the1973 NLCS. Osuna recorded a four-out save for his third career postseason save, and first with the Astros.^[22]

Cleveland took a 1–0 lead in the third inning, on two singles followed by a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly. The teams traded home runs in the fifth inning, byGeorge Springer of the Astros and thenFrancisco Lindor of the Indians. Houston went ahead, 4–2, with three runs in the seventh from two singles, afielder's choice, error, walk, and a two-RBI double byMarwin González. The Astros added six runs in the eighth on a homer by Springer, a double, two walks, RBI single, bases loadedwild pitch, and a three-run homer byCarlos Correa. Houston extended their lead to 11–2 in the ninth, on a walk,balk, ground out, and RBI single byAlex Bregman. Cleveland got one run in the last of the ninth, withEdwin Encarnación scoring from third on awild pitch, followed byMelky Cabrera grounding out to first for the 11–3 final and to give the Astros a series sweep. Houston starterDallas Keuchel had ano decision after allowing two runs on four hits in five innings; he was relieved byCollin McHugh who pitched two innings without allowing a hit and got the win. Cleveland starterMike Clevinger also had a no decision after allowing three hits and one run in five innings; he was relieved byTrevor Bauer who allowed four hits and three runs (two earned) in1+1⁄3 innings and took the loss.

With their victory in Game 3, the Astros earned a postseason sweep for the first time in franchise history, advancing to the ALCS to meet the winner of the Red Sox and Yankees series. This marks the second time in franchise history that the Astros have reached back-to-back Championship Series; the first time was in2004 and2005, when the team played in the National League. The Indians were swept in the postseason for the first time since1954, and were eliminated in the ALDS for the second straight year. They were also eliminated from the postseason at home for the third straight year.

According toJeff Passan ofYahoo Sports, the Cleveland Indians warned the Boston Red Sox that a man representing the Houston Astros might try to steal signs from their dugout in theALCS. Passan reported that the same man, Astros' intern Kyle McLaughlin, was found taking cell phone video of the Indians' dugout during the Astros' and Indians' ALDS matchup.^[23] After the 2019 season, MLB punished the Astros for illicitlystealing their opponents' signs and relaying it to their hitters throughout 2017 and 2018 seasons.^[24]

2018 ALDS (3–0):Houston Astros defeatedCleveland Indians.

• 2018 National League Division Series

• Blum, Ronald (October 9, 2018)."Red Sox hold off Yanks in Game 4, will face Astros in ALCS".Boston.com.AP. RetrievedOctober 10, 2018.
• Chesterton, Eric (October 10, 2018)."Can you survive watching the final three outs of ALDS Game 4?".MLB.com. RetrievedOctober 10, 2018.
• Finn, Chad (October 9, 2018)."9 thoughts on the Red Sox' 16-1 victory over the Yankees".Boston.com. RetrievedOctober 9, 2018.
• Hass, Trevor (October 7, 2018)."What Alex Cora said after the Red Sox lost Game 2 to the Yankees".Boston.com. RetrievedOctober 7, 2018.
• Marrone, Matt (October 4, 2018)."The brawl, Fortnite and now the ALDS: The story of Yanks-Sox 2018".ESPN. RetrievedOctober 4, 2018.
• Miller, Randy (October 5, 2018)."MLB playoffs 2018: Boston Red Sox set 25-man roster for ALDS vs. New York Yankees".NJ.com. RetrievedOctober 5, 2018.
• Miller, Randy (October 5, 2018)."MLB playoffs 2018: New York Yankees set 25-man roster for ALDS vs. Boston Red Sox".NJ.com. RetrievedOctober 6, 2018.

• 2018 Major League Baseball postseason schedule

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