It took exactly 162 games to get here, but the matchup for the 2015 American League Wild Card Game is set. The Houston Astros will visit the New York Yankees for a do-or-die showdown on Tuesday (8:05 p.m. ET on ESPN) with a trip to the division series on the line.
The Yankees (87-75) haven't been to the playoffs since 2012, while the Astros (86-76) last went to the dance in 2005.
Houston won the season series against New York 4-3, splitting a four-game set at Minute Maid Park in its first meeting (June 25-28) and taking two of three at Yankee Stadium (Aug. 24-26).
The most obvious disparity between the two clubs is the depth of their pockets. The Yankees' payroll tops out at $218.9 million, per Spotrac.com, dwarfing the Astros' $81.2 million budget. To put an even finer point on it: New York spends almost as much on pitching ($71.3 million) as the 'Stros do on their entire roster.
Speaking of pitching, the Astros will send left-handed ace and AL Cy Young Award contender Dallas Keuchel to the hill, while the Yankees will counter with their No. 1, right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, meaning an old-fashioned pitchers' duel is a distinct possibility.
Which squad will emerge victorious from this winner-take-all battle and advance to the ALDS?
While we await the game—and a definitive answer—let's break down the variables and matchups and arrive at an educated guess.
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