5:09 pm: Houston Astros @ Los Angeles Dodgers (Dodgers 1-0)
Justin Verlander (15-8, 3.36) vs. Rich Hill (LHP, 12-8, 3.32). At least last night’s game was the opposite of the long, drawn-out affairs we’ve been enduring this post-season. At 148 minutes, it was easily the shortest of the playoffs. Indeed, it was so by more than half an hour, and the first to take less than three hours. The median length of playoff games this year has been a staggering 3 hours and 26 minutes, almost the same as 2016 (3:27). The longest was Game 2 of the ALDS where the Yankees took 5:08 to beat the Yankees, though at least, that one did go 13 innings. The decider between the Cubs and Nats in the NLDS didn’t have that excuse, the Game 5 there taking 4:37.
I’m sure long games are brilliant for the advertisers, but I’m not sure anyone among neutrals wants them...