New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers: James Paxton vs. Joe Palumbo

The 2019 Baseball Apocalypse begins tonight, as the New York Yankees travel to Arlington, Texas, to begin a three-game set against the Texas Rangers that will bring about the end the world season. Also, the end of baseball in the Globe Life Park, as the Rangers will be moving to a new facility in 2020, as an XFL team moves in.

Presumed ALDS Game One starter James Paxton (15-6, 3.73 ERA, 3.80 FIP) gets the ball for the Yankees, riding a ten-start winning streak stretching back to July 26. During that time, he’s posted a 2.25 ERA and has limited opposing batters to a .514 OPS. The Yankees hope that he will continue his winning ways in his final tune-up start of the season, as they need him to be firing on all cylinders to make a run this October.

September call-up Joe Palumbo (0-2, 9.22 ERA, 6.95 FIP) will be making his fourth big-league start. The young lefty has been roughed up in scattered stints at the big league level. He has worked as a traditional starter, as a reliever, and as an opener this season, so it remains to be seen how he will be employed today.

The Kraken returns to the lineup tonight, batting fifth, while Aaron Judge gets the day off. Besides that, a fairly standard lineup for the Yankees. Sanchez is expected to catch 4-5 innings tonight; Edwin Encarnacion does not start, but could see the field at some point, as the Yankees finish arming themselves for the postseason.

The starting lineup for the Rangers is also fairly standard today:

You can catch tonight’s game on WPIX, MLB.tv, or fubo.tv, and listen along at WFAN 660 or 101.9 FM, WADO 1280. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 EDT.

Let’s go Yankees!