And then there were two.'
The first three rounds of the playoffs have been extremely competitive and, at times, controversial as fans and players adapt to the new expanded format, but we're now down to the final stand – the World Series.'
With only the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies remaining in contention to win it all, the most exciting event on the baseball calendar starts Friday, Oct. 28, in Houston.
The World Series will be a best-of-seven matchup split between Minute Maid Park in Houston (Games 1, 2, 6, and 7) and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia (Games 2, 3 and 4). The Astros have home-field advantage due to their regular-season record (106-56), which was much better than that of the Phillies (87-75).
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| GAME | DATE | TIME | FIELD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Friday, Oct. 28 | TBD | Minute Maid Park |
| Game 2 | Saturday, Oct. 29 | TBD | Minute Maid Park |
| Game 3 | Monday, Oct. 31 | TBD | Citizens Bank Park |
| Game 4 | Tuesday, Nov. 1 | TBD | Citizens Bank Park |
| Game 5 | Wednesday, Nov. 2 | TBD | Citizens Bank Park |
| Game 6 | Friday, Nov. 4 | TBD | Minute Maid Park |
| Game 7 | Saturday, Nov. 5 | TBD | Minute Maid Park |
When Boosie starts playing, you best not miss. pic.twitter.com/v6R2QPTeao
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 21, 2022
Odds to Win World Series (as of Oct. 24):
- Astros -185 to win
- Phillies +150 to win
Phillies vs. Astros Series Prediction
I predict the Astros will win the World Series against the Phillies in six games.
This is the Astros' fourth World Series appearance in six years, though they've only taken the title once. Considering their 2017 victory is now shrouded in controversy after the team's cheating scandal rocked Major League Baseball, this is yet another chance for Houston to win it all and prove they don't need to bang on a trash can to be the best – and they appear to be on the right path.
In the ALCS, the Astros beat the New York Yankees in four games, scoring 4-2, 3-2, 5-0, and 6-5 victories in the first, second, third, and fourth games, respectively. This impressive series rout came immediately after the team swept the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series, meaning the Astros are still undefeated in the 2022 postseason.
As strong as the Astros' offense has proven to be, their pitching is arguably even stronger.'
Justin Verlander, the team's ace, came back this season after two years away to receive and recover from Tommy John surgery, but you'd never know it from his performance. In 28 regular-season games, Verlander posted an ERA of 1.75 with 185 strikeouts. Although his outing against the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series was less than perfect, he came back strong in the ALCS, recording 11 strikeouts in six innings against the Yankees.
Justin Verlander's 82mph Curveball to Donaldson…and Sword. ?? pic.twitter.com/F4h2FsD7Fe
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 19, 2022
Not far behind Verlander, Framber Valdez recorded an ERA of 2.82 and WHIP of 1.16 with 194 strikeouts through the regular season. The left-hander started Game 2 of the Division Series against the Mariners and Game 2 of the ALCS against the Yankees, recording six and nine strikeouts in the two outings, respectively.
Cristian Javier recorded the same number of strikeouts as Valdez in the regular season (194), though the right-hander had a slightly lower ERA of 2.54. Javier pitched as a reliever in Game 1 of the Division Series against the Mariners, recording two strikeouts and allowing one home run in 1.1 innings pitched. He started Game 3 of the ALCS against the Yankees, recording five strikeouts and allowing no runs in five innings pitched.
The Astros' starting rotation is rounded out by Lance McCullers Jr. (2.27 ERA), Luis Garcia (3.72 ERA), and Jose Urquidy (3.94 ERA), though Urquidy is yet to make a postseason appearance in 2022. Through the regular season, McCullers Jr. recorded 50 strikeouts in eight games, Garcia recorded 157 in 28 games, and Urquidy recorded 134 in 29 games (28 starts), so the rotation doesn't have a weak starter among them.
THIS train keeps rolling. pic.twitter.com/xOYlI0FMT4
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 22, 2022