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I love October; I consider it one of the best months of the year. These 31 days contain two of my favorite pastimes, postseason baseball and horror movies. I particularly enjoy slasher films, where the protagonists attempt to outlast and overcome a seemingly invincible villain. Later tonight, the Yankees will attempt to vanquish their personal boogeyman in Justin Verlander.
In many ways, Verlander fits the bill as the slasher villain in the Yankees’ story. He’s overpowering, he’s everywhere, and just when you think he’s done for, he comes back stronger than ever.
The thing about slasher movies, though, is that with each sequel, the fright factor drops. Michael Myers. Freddy Krueger. Jason Voorhees. Each terrified audiences in the first films of their franchises. But as the directors gave Myers a supernatural backstory, and Krueger turned into campy comic relief, they lost some of their ability to scare us viewers. Even Jason, who never deviated from his brooding wrath, grew corny once the sequels went the route of the Muppets, sending him to New York and outer space.
The Yankees now get their crack at another Verlander sequel. This time he’s a little older and little more homer-prone. His last postseason outing against the Rays proved that he’s mortal after all. Facing him makes for a tough task, no doubt about it, but it’s time to turn the fear factor down a notch. It’s time for the Yankees to come out ahead.
How To Watch:
Time: 8:08 pm EST
Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
TV: FS1
Streaming: fubo.tv
Radio: ESPN Radio, WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (local listings)