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AL DIVISION SERIES: INDIANS VS ASTROS

October 7, 2018

Dallas Keuchel

Cleveland, Ohio - Workout Day

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Dallas.

DALLAS KEUCHEL: Afternoon, guys.

Q. Hello. Dallas, what do you think about being in this situation where you're starting in an elimination game where you could be celebrating at the end of the game if everything goes well?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: I think it's very cool. But we got a lot of work to do still, especially with this talented group over here with the Indians. And we're just taking it day by day, pretty much. We've been fortunate to get a couple big hits, two really good pitching performances from our guys.

I'm just going to try to continue to do what our starters and our bullpen have done the first two games and just come out and attack the zone and put them on the defensive side.

Q. Dallas, you've been here through the whole run through the Astros rebuilding and then getting to where they've been in the last couple of years. Just heading into free agency, how are you kind of looking at this start? Does it mean anything to you to be able to maybe pitch them to the next level? Is this more meaningful to you, heading into free agency?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: This season has been more meaningful, I think, just because it could potentially be my last. I've never taken for granted anything to this point with the Astros or my own career. You start to cherish the little things when, potentially, it could be -- you could be in a different spot next year.

But this team has made it easy to come to the ballpark every day and just enjoy it. So I have enjoyed it, and whether or not this is my last run with the Astros, like I said, it's easy to come to the ballpark with this group. I've cherished it enough that I know how to go about my business and do things the right way.

Q. Dallas, kind of piggybacking off of that, how difficult is it to maybe compartmentalize what lies ahead with keeping your day-to-day sort of routine intact?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: As a human being, you kind of think about it a little bit. But when you break it down, we got 25 guys in there who are going to battle every day and trying to win another championship.

So when you really think about it, it's just showing up to the park and enjoying yourself and making sure that you're doing everything you can to help those other guys out.

I've been on the other side, where we're packing up our stuff on September 30th and watching the other eight teams go at it. I'm just trying to enjoy myself as much as possible, because I know how short this ride can be. But how long it also could be as well.

Q. We all know Correa struggled last week and so far in the first two games. But what kind of impact does a pitcher, does seeing him back there and what he can do defensively and the ways he can impact the game, you think, that makes him important to have him out there for you?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: You almost take for granted how strong of an arm he's got. And the last couple of years with how many talented shortstops there's been, you take that for granted.

And since he's been back, his bat hasn't been there, but other guys have picked up where he kind of left off.

But defensive side, he's as good as anybody. I think Lindor gets a lot of attention just because of the flash and him being out there more, and rightfully so. He's a wizard in the field.

But Correa is right there with him, and I've enjoyed him behind me when I've pitched, just because I get so many ground balls and a lot of them are trajected towards the shortstop and third base.

So I've really enjoyed watching him grow. I can honestly say he's one of the hardest workers, especially since he's missed some time the last couple years. He really has worked hard on getting himself prepared every day mentally and physically to get out there.

So I know when he's hurt, he's really hurt. But just having him back there means a lot to our team and then, potentially, a lot of danger to the other team.

Q. Dallas, when they have said, after Game 2 and in the locker room a little while ago, that the Astros have played perfect baseball, if they're going to get back into this, they have to get perfect. They haven't been. When you hear that, what do you think about that?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: That the Indians haven't been perfect or we haven't been perfect?

Q. You have been perfect. They feel they have to match you. I'm not going to use the word desperate, but they have to play a helluva lot better to get to where you guys are.
DALLAS KEUCHEL: I don't think we've played perfect ball. We've played a little bit better than they have with the timely hits. You break it down, their pitching's been pretty good. That's kind of their DNA. But we have a pretty good staff of our own. So we knew coming into the series it was going to be maybe a one or two -- two swings that were going to change the game and then who was going to out-pitch the other team.

So far, we've had the advantage. But not by a wide margin, and it's just if we can take advantage of a mistake here or there on Monday, or I could make a pitch or two on Monday, or I guess tomorrow, I should say, I think the better team is going to come out tomorrow.

But they play well at home. They really do. And I know this place is going to be packed and rockin'.

But on the flip side, also I think we have the best record on the road in the Big Leagues this year. Is that correct? I think, yeah. So we feel very comfortable on the road. But it was nice to get two wins at home and then be able to come out here and try to finish the deal off in Cleveland.

Q. Dallas, when you were 3-8, I think you told us that you know what 3-8 feels like and how you were feeling was not what 3-8 was. What did you alter pitch selection-wise or just kind of how you went about your business, started getting the results you wanted to get after that point?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: Man, that's a good question. I just continued to come to the park and work. And as a starting pitcher, you have to have a ton of luck involved with the win-and-loss record.

You can do your part and still get a lot of no-decisions or a lot of losses if you're matched up with other guys. I think a lot of my problem was I looked into the match-ups too much early in the year. I faced Severino a few times. I faced Kluber.

That's not usually what I do at all. I'm not pitching against those guys. I'm pitching against their lineups. I focused too much on the days ahead instead of the day that I needed to be present at. And that really kind of beared down and continued to just take it day by day and in between starts really work on what I wanted to do the next time out and was able to make a few more quality pitches there for a 5, 10, 15-start stretch.

Nowhere where I want to be, but tomorrow hopefully come out and do what I'm capable of doing and maybe leading this team to a victory.

Q. Dallas, AJ, he said your success on the road is partly just baseball, the way the schedule played out. Why do you think you guys get more comfortable on the road this season?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: I don't know. I think we're just a carefree group, and we're on the road, we really got to rally around each other just because of the tough environments we play in. The ALS was no joke this year, especially with the A's playing so well.

And like I said, there is a lot of tough environments that we've been through, so the rally around each other, the brotherhood has to be there, and it's really genuine with us.

So I think that has a lot to do with it, but we've got to really -- we've got a good group of talented individuals who rise up on the road just because we're not supposed to play as well on the road as we do at home.

I know statistically, we played better on the road than we did at home. But the luxury to play at home first and get a couple victories against a really, really quality team in the Indians, I think, is going to let us play more comfortable ball still tomorrow as well.

Q. Dallas, what impresses you most about Lance's ability to go from starting, into the bullpen, and seemingly maintain how effective he is?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: Well, I think that curveball plays into the environment. So, I mean, his ability to spin that breaking ball, whether he's starting or relieving, I think he can just wake up and spin it.

So, you know, if I had that breaking ball, I would be a lot more confident waking up in the morning too. But he's just that guy. He's still -- he just turned 25, but he's still really young. And just his makeup, coming from a Big League family, his dad pitched in the Big Leagues, I think he knows what it takes to really mentally get ready.

He's got a lot of confidence and rightfully so. His stuff is electric. He's been groomed by me, so he's a lot better off now than he was before.

But, no, he's just a talented individual, and he knows how to pitch in certain situations. If you can spin a breaking ball behind in the count and land it for strikes, that just puts more doubt in the hitters' minds at any point in time.

Q. Dallas, what have been your overall impressions of Martin Maldonado in your couple months and what has he brought to the pitching staff?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: He's a guy I played against in the Minor Leagues for a year or so. I was always enamored by his defensive ability. Nobody ran on him. You can see why. He's got one of the strongest arms in the league, if not the strongest. He really puts a clamp down on the running game.

His pitch calling, his framing ability, the way he handles pitchers. Right when he first came in, after we got him, he went right to the starting staff and the bullpen guys and acted like he had been there for a couple years.

He watched a lot of video already. So that just makes you feel more comfortable with a pitcher. But just the dynamic he brings, everybody knows scouting report coming in, hey, Maldonado has thrown out almost half or maybe more than half of the runners attempting to steal. So kind of just puts the clamp down on anybody trying to run.

I know they've got a couple guys over there that can run, and he just cares. But what a talented guy behind the plate. I mean, first postseason game, he hits his first postseason home run, which is really cool as well. I think that calmed him down and made him a lot more comfortable on our talented team.

Thanks, guys.

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