NLCS starts in Philadelphia, ALCS continues with Game 2

Monday brings us one of two remaining guaranteed days of two Major League Baseball games in 2023, with the National League Championship Series starting up in Philadelphia and the ALCS continuing with Game 2 in Houston.

The other for-sure day with two games this week comes Thursday, with Game 3 of the NLCS in Phoenix and Game 4 of the ALCS in Arlington. Unless the American League Texas teams decide things via sweep, Friday will be another two-game day with Game 5 of the ALCS and Game 4 of the NLCS.

A potential fourth and final double gameday could happen next Monday, but only if both of these series are nice and long. On that day would be Game 6 of the NLCS and Game 7 in the American League.

But first things first, this Monday starts with the Rangers and Astros in Houston for Game 2, after Texas won Sunday night’s opener at Minute Maid Park.

Nathan Eovaldi, who closed out each of the Rangers’ first two series wins this October while allowing two runs in 13⅔ innings, starts Game 2 for Texas. Eovaldi this postseason has 15 strikeouts and no walks.

Framber Valdez starts Monday for the home team.

Game 2 of the ALCS will be televised by both Fox and FS1. Joe Davis is on the call with John Smoltz in the analyst chair. Reporters Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci will also be part of the broadcast.

Zac Gallen, who beat the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLDS and eliminated the Brewers five days before that, starts Game 1 of the NLCS for the D-backs, who have won all five games this postseason.

The Phillies will start Zack Wheeler in Game 1 on Monday. The right-hander has pitched into the seventh inning in both playoff starts so far this season, with a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings. He struck out 10 last Monday in a no-decision in Atlanta.

The NLCS is televised by TBS, with Brian Anderson calling play-by-play alongside analysts Ron Darling and Jeff Franoeur, plus reporter Matt Winer. The series will also feature an alternate telecase on truTV as well as streaming on Max, featuring Pedro Martinez, Albert Pujols, Kiké Hernández, Nestor Cortes, and Yonder Alonso.

Monday Championship Series schedule

1:37 p.m. PT: Rangers at Astros (Fox, FS1)
Game 2: Nathan Eovaldi vs. Framber Valdez
Texas leads, 1-0

5:07 p.m.: D-backs at Phillies (TBS, truTV)
Game 1: Zac Gallen vs. Zack Wheeler