Astros and Yankees both claiming the 'underdog' role in Wild Card

In Monday's workout and preparation for Tuesday's Wild Card game, both the Houston Astros and New York Yankees were campaigning to claim the role of the game's underdog.

First came the pitch from Alex Rodriguez, via Newsday. "We're underdogs coming into this game," A-Rod said.

Dallas Keuchel, who will get the ball Tuesday, was told about A-Rod's statement and was quick to remind the veteran where the game is being played.

"I don't believe so," the lefthander said. "We're at their home place, we're at Yankee Stadium. I don't think we're favored, I really don't. And that's the way we're going to continue to play, as the underdog."

A-Rod followed up with an explanation.

"I think with everything we've done this year, we've surprised a lot of people, and that's hard to do when you wear pinstripes," he said. "But I think going into this year, if you rewind seven months and told us we'd have an opportunity to play at home and defend our home court in a wild-card game, I think we all would have signed up for that."

For what it's worth, Keuchel has dominated the Yankees this season in his two starts against them - he hasn't allowed a run in 16 innings (including a complete game) with 21 strikeouts and just one walk.

Underdogs or not, one team will win the AL Wild Card game and go on to face Kansas City in the ALDS Thursday.