Red Sox vs. Astros lineup: There’s only one thing left to do

Here we are. It has felt all season like the most likely fate for the Red Sox was to lose badly in the ALDS, and they are one loss away from doing just that. If it happens, it will anger Red Sox fans and almost surely lead to John Farrell being replaced as manager, but I’ll still consider it a successful season. To extend my ongoing poker analogy with respect to this team, you can only play the cards you have, and the challenge of the season is to get to this week in October and let the chips fall where they may.

So far, Houston has kicked Boston all over the map with such force that it’s hard for me to muster much outrage at Farrell or the Red Sox writ large. I love the Red Sox, but I also love good baseball, and the Astros are playing great baseball. What are you gonna do? (Besides fire Farrell, that is? Trade for Giancarlo Stanton, maybe? Get J.D. Martinez? That’d be cool.)

It’s fitting that Boston’s season now depends on Doug Fister, the former Astro-turned-free-agent who’s been a wonder over the second half of the year. Frankly, he’s probably their best starting pitcher right now. Of course, everyone is available for this 2:38 p.m. game, and should it turn south, Fister is sure for a quick hook.

Brad Peacock starts for the Astros, 10 days and what feels like 5 lifetimes after beating the Sox in the first of the now 7 games in a row these two teams have played. This is our mission (and yes, I’m aware using a Kung Fu Panda clip is a bad omen, but I must):

I’m not ready for winter. Sound the alarm. All hands on deck. Mix all the metaphors. It’s time to win. Here are the full lineups: