Can Boston Red Sox Recover from Epic Beatdown by Houston Astros?

The Boston Red Sox were looking to make a run deep into the American League playoffs this season, perhaps even a World Series appearance but may already be in big trouble.

The team’s addition of Chicago White Sox ace pitcher Chris Sale in a blockbuster deal was supposed to be the catalyst of the run for the hardware. Few pitchers have been as dominant as Sale over the last five years and he was expected to lead the way for a roster stacked with young talent.

But in Thursday’s ALDCS opener, Sale was rocked by a power-hitting Houston Astros club that showed itself to be a legitimate title contender in front of a raucous home crowd at Minute Maid Park.

Boston’s prized acquisition was shelled for nine hits and seven runs before he slinked off the field in the sixth inning. Sale’s flop was just the latest highly paid Cy Young Award winner who has tanked in the playoffs for the Sox.

Southpaw David Price’s postseason record is so horrific that the team doesn’t even plan to let him start, choosing to stick him in the bullpen instead. Not a bad idea for a guy whose career postseason record is a miserable 2-8 with a 5.54 ERA and several epic chokes to his credit.

It may be that Boston is in very serious trouble facing a stacked Astros lineup on the road in a best of five series.

Houston’s All-Star Second baseman Jose Altuve blasted three home runs on Thursday in the 8-2 win.

There is a very short turnaround between games. The second match is today at 2 pm ET meaning if the Red Sox can’t find a way to shut down the Astros, there will be a lot of mean drunks in Boston tonight.

The pitchers for today’s matchup will both be lefties with Boston’s Drew Pomeranz (17-6) going up against Houston’s Dallas Keuchel (14-5).

It will be the first game of a very busy MLB slate with all four series, a marathon for baseball fans as well as a feast for those who want an alternative to the politicized NFL.