*Photo from NBC News*
Here we are. The winding point of the season. This is what all the 162 game regular season grind and playoff survival is all about. The World Series. The chance to be crowned baseball champions. The teams with the chance to be called champions this year are the Houston Astros of the American League and the Washington Nationals of the National League. We'll look at each team's chances right now.
The Astros have been a juggernaut these last few years. After winning the world series in 2017, they lost in 5 games in the ALCS in 2018 to the Boston Red Sox. This year, they are arguably better then their 2017 championship team. Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, and Zack Greinke are their top 3 pitchers, and that's quite a formidable top 3. Their lineup is loaded with talent such as George Springer, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Michael Brantley, and Yuli Gurriel. A lot of these guys haven't had the best time in the playoffs this year, but still strike fear into opposing pitchers. The back end of the bullpen is one of baseball's best, despite Ryan Pressly being limited right now. They feature Pressly, Joe Smith, Will Harris, and lockdown closer Roberto Osuna. If there ever was a time for Houston to win another world series, this is definitely the time to do so. However, their challengers won't go down easy.
The Nationals didn't have the best start to the season. They finished May floundering in the water at 19-31, and serious questions about blowing it up were raised. Then, it all came together, and here they are, one crazy run later. Their starting pitching has been quite good this season, and they may be the only team that can rival Houston's big 3. Why? They have a big 4. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasbug, and Patrick Corbin are the big guns, but Anibal Sanchez has been dominating this postseason, giving the Nats 4 upper echelon starters and letting Scherzer pitch a game 5 on regular rest. That's what they were looking for all along. Their lineup has been good as well, with plenty of guys stepping up this postseason. It includes MVP candidate Anthony Rendon, young guns Juan Soto and Victor Robles, and older contributors like Adam Eaton, Yan Gomes, Michael A Taylor, and Howie Kendrick, who is the NLCS MVP. The introduction of the DH this series could give guys like Brian Dozier, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Matt Adams some more playing time. Their bullpen, which has been their greatest weakness, still has question marks. They've only used 3 relievers out of that bullpen all October. Daniel Hudson, Sean Doolittle, and Tanner Rainey. With a long series in the midst, they may have to gamble with Fernando Rodney, Javy Guerra, Roenis Elias, or Austin Voth out of the 'pen. Whatever happens, they won't go down without a fight.
I think this series will be a very tight knit dogfight until the very end. With everything out there, I have to go Astros in 7. Their bullpen has been solid all year, and I think Washington's just has too many question marks. That's what separates these two teams, and that's what will put Houston over the top and into their second world series title in 3 years.
Game one is on Tuesday night in Houston, with first pitch scheduled for 8:08 EST on FOX. Cole gets the ball for Houston, as Scherzer starts for Washington.
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