Darvish is Rangers’ postseason X-factor

ARLINGTON — The American League West champion Rangers are expected to go with Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish as their top two starters in the postseason.

Hamels has a long track record of playoff success, going 7-5 with a 3.03 ERA in 15 starts. Darvish has made just one start in the postseason — a loss against the Orioles in 2012.

Hamels has been healthy for the past two seasons and made 32 starts each year. Darvish has made 17 starts this season after missing all of last year while recovering from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery.

When it comes to the postseason and Texas’ top two starters, Hamels is the known quantity. Darvish is the X-factor.

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“I think there is an unknown until a guy goes through it,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “There is a lot of unknown until you put skins on the wall. However, these are our two main guys. I don’t think I’m going to turn off the hot water just yet. It’s not like we are going to change.”

The X-factor is a guy who could make or break a team during a postseason series. Darvish could be that for Texas, even though he would likely start just once in the AL Division Series and twice in both the AL Championship Series and the World Series.

Darvish has the ability to dominate a game, especially under the …

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