Rangers-Blue Jays: 3 things to know for Game 2 of the ALDS

The Texas Rangers entered Game 1 of their ALDS matchup as heavy underdogs to the explosive Toronto Blue Jays. But after beating up on the Blue Jays and Cy Young contender David Price, the Rangers have a shot at returning to Arlington on the cusp of a Texas-sized upset.

Standing in their way will be the banged-up Blue Jays, whose recent malaise continued Thursday with a 5-3 loss in their highly anticipated return to the playoffs. After losing for the fifth time in six games, the Blue Jays are tasked with taking three of four from the second half's second-hottest team.

The only team that played better than the Rangers after Aug. 1? The Blue Jays, of course. Here are the three things you need to know heading into Friday's pivotal Game 2:

HURTING STARS

Thursday's ALDS opener saw three big bats depart due to injury, including Toronto's No. 2 and 3 hitters, Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista. While Bautista expects to play in Game 2 after exiting with hamstring tightness, Donaldson's status was unclear as of Friday morning. The All-Star third baseman was knocked out of the contest after taking a knee to the head from Rangers' Game 1 hero Rougned Odor.

Texas is facing its own lineup dilemna after Adrian Beltre exited with lower back stiffness. Beltre's status appeared to be in serious jeopardy as of Thursday night, when the team flew slugger Joey Gallo to Toronto to remain on standby in case the heart and soul of the Rangers is forced from the series.

LEGENDARY COMEBACK

Marcus Stroman can further realize his self-fulfilling prophecy Friday when he pitches for a series split in the biggest start of his career. The competitive right-hander has so far lived up to the hype since returning from a torn ACL in September, fashioning a sparkling 1.67 ERA in 27 innings. The storyline here will be whether Stroman can back up his bravado less than 24 hours after watching Price get overwhelmed by nerves in front of Toronto's sellout crowd at Rogers Centre.

Opposing Stroman will be Rangers ace Cole Hamels, who enters Game 2 with 13 postseason starts to his name. The former World Series MVP owns an impressive 3.09 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over 81 2/3 playoff innings, and is coming off a complete-game, division-clinching win on the final day of the regular season. Hamels is undefeated in his last 10 starts, but Toronto feasts on left-handed pitching, ranking first in the majors in park- and league-adjusted production against southpaws this season.

UNPREDICTABLE RELIEF

The vaunted Blue Jays lineup was limited to just three runs on six hits - including only one extra-base rip over the final four innings - in Game 1, and part of their struggles can be attributed to the Rangers' volatile bullpen. Days after coughing up a late lead in the Rangers' penultimate game of the season, Texas relievers held Toronto's big hitters in check behind three scoreless innings from Jake Diekman and Sam Dyson. The effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the Rangers' bullpen - the group ranked 26th in WAR in the first half, and 10th after the All-Star break - could be a major factor in a potential pitchers' duel that promises to come down to the game's final innings.