ALDS Game 1 matchups watch list

Stars Mike Trout and Adam Jones lead the home teams into the ALDS round Thursday. (USATSI)

Each of the two American League Division Series are set to begin Thursday in a TV doubleheader. Let's take a look at some of the more interesting background tidbits and possibly what to expect.

Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles, 5:37 p.m. ET. TV: TBS

Pitching matchup: Max Scherzer (18-5, 3.15) vs. Chris Tillman (13-6, 3.34)

*The regular season series heavily favored the Tigers, with Detroit taking five of six and outscoring the Orioles 33-20. Of course, one series was the second of the entire season and the other took place from May 12-14. The Orioles are a different team now. Once they got things together in the middle of the June, they have been far better. In fact, since June 16, the Orioles tied with the Angels for the best record in baseball at 61-32, 8.5 games better than the Tigers.

*Scherzer hasn't faced the Orioles at all this season. From the expected starters, Nelson Cruz (.440/.462/.800, 3 2B, 2 HR in 26 PA), Nick Markakis (.313/.421/.438, 2B, HR in 19 PA) and Adam Jones (.500/.500/.778, 2 2B, HR in 18 PA) have fared well against him in their careers. J.J. Hardy (.174/.208/.348 in 25 PA) hasn't. The others haven't seen him enough to even bother with the numbers.

*In three career starts in Camden Yards, Scherzer has a 4.95 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 24 strikeouts in 20 innings. In his postseason career, Scherzer is 4-2 with a 3.42 ERA and a whopping 74 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings.

*The power game will be significant here. Scherzer is among the best strikeout pitchers in baseball while the Orioles can be susceptible to the strikeout. They also led the majors in home runs by a significant margin. In Scherzer's 18 wins, he only allowed five homers. In his other 15 outings, he allowed 13 homers.

*The instant reaction here would be to say that Tillman is 'not an ace.' In the last two months of the season, though, he was 6-1 with a 2.14 ERA and the Orioles won 10 of his 11 starts. At home, he sports a 2.54 ERA this season compared to 4.31 on the road, too. He's capable of an ace-like performance.

*Tillman only faced the Tigers one time this season and it was the one time the Orioles beat them. He was brilliant, working 8 1/3 innings, allowing only one run on five hits. Overall, the samples of him vs. the Tigers are just too small to matter. Of the expected starters, only Ian Kinsler (.250/.294/.500, 2B, HR in 17 PA), Miguel Cabrera (.385/.467/.692, 2B, HR in 15 PA) and Victor Martinez (.400/.400/.500, 2B in 10 PA) have seen him at least 10 times.

*Don't expect much running. The Orioles were last in the majors with 44 steals. The Tigers are capable basestealers, but opposing basestealers are just 15-for-37 against Tillman in his career and 2-for-11 in the past two years. Likely Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph led the AL in caught stealing percentage, too.

*Tigers manager Brad Ausmus has already said he's willing to use Anibal Sanchez in 'big' spots out of the bullpen. Given the problems they've had in the late innings, this is a very fun storyline to watch. Sept. 26 marked Sanchez's first appearance in relief since 2006. He threw a scoreless inning, but it was incredibly low-leverage (the Tigers were down 10-3 in the seventh inning).

*This will mark the first career postseason game for Nick Markakis after 1,365 career games, all with the Orioles in his nine-year career. He was injured in 2012.

*X-Factor picks for each team: J.D. Martinez, Steve Pearce.

Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels, 9:07 p.m. ET. TV: TBS

Pitching matchup: Jason Vargas (11-10, 3.71) vs. Jered Weaver (18-9, 3.59)

*In six regular-season games, these two clubs split it right down the middle, winning three each. The Angels outscored the Royals, 30-26, but that small difference hardly matters. Plus, one series was in late May and the other was in late June.

*Vargas had a quality season, but he was 3-6 with a 4.50 ERA in the last two months, with the Royals losing seven of his 11 starts -- and this was the time when the team as a whole went 34-21.

*Vargas faced the Angels twice and was shelled in his second outing. In the two starts, he had a 6.10 ERA and 1.65 WHIP. Members of the current Angels roster are hitting .308/.344/.523 in 227 plate appearances against Vargas, with Mike Trout (.400/.471/.667, 2B, HR in 17 PA) and Albert Pujols (.286/.273/.619, 2 2B, 3B, HR in 22 PA) having good success. It's not all bad news, though. Given that he spent last season with the Angels and most of his career in the AL West, Vargas is very familiar with Angel Stadium. In 20 career starts there, he's 9-3 with a 2.86 ERA.

*Weaver being at home is a good thing for the Angels. He has a 2.68 ERA in Angels Stadium this season, compared to 4.70 on the road. He didn't face the Royals at all this season and there isn't much familiary overall. Among expected starters, he's only faced Billy Butler (.207/.233/.345, 2B, HR in 30 PA) and Alex Gordon (.200/.360/.350, HR in 26 PA) more than eight times.

*The running game will be a huge factor with the Royals on offense, just as it was in the wild card victory over the A's. Opposing baserunners are 25-for-30 in stolen bases against Weaver this season while the Royals led the majors with 153 steals. Angels catcher Chris Iannetta is a bit above league average (30 percent, compared to 27 percent) at getting opposing runners, so it's on Weaver to hold the runners close and be quick to the plate.

*What is Ned Yost going to do if Vargas gets in trouble early? Several times this season, including in the wild-card game, he's gone to the wrong guy in the sixth inning with his refusal to go with either of his stud setup men, Wade Davis or Kelvin Herrera, 'early.' It would be pretty surprising to see Vargas cruise through six against this offense, so a big decision will need to be made. Danny Duffy will be available in relief, Yost has said. We could see rookie -- who was just drafted in June -- Brandon Finnegan, too.

*Weaver is turning around and going to be ready to pitch in Game 4, if necessary, on short rest, so Mike Scioscia likely doesn't want him to be extended too far. He also hasn't thrown more than 109 pitches this season. The Royals, though, were dead last in the AL this season in walks and only Seattle averaged fewer pitches per plate appearance. Do they go outside their comfort zone and try to take more pitches in hopes of wearing Weaver out and getting to the bullpen early? The Angels' back-end of the bullpen has been pretty awesome for a while.

*As we already know, this will be the first career postseason game for young superstar Mike Trout. How does he respond to the big stage? Nothing has phased him so far in his career. It's also the first time Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton (if he's healthy enough) will play in the postseason for the Angels.

*Can the Royals bring the energy again? That 12-inning marathon less than 48 hours ago had to take a toll on the Royals physically and emotionally, given that it was the club's first playoff game in 29 years and they won it at home in front of a raucous crowd. Whether or not there's a hangover effect surely will make a difference here.

*X-Factor picks for each team: Danny Duffy, Kole Calhoun

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