By Benjamin Simon, Staff Writer
What a spectacle this year’s playoffs have been. The 100+ win Mets, Dodgers, and Braves? All out of the race, and it was never even close. This year has been, for lack of a better term, wholeheartedly chaotic.
Perhaps the first clue that something was amiss came when the San Diego Padres beat the powerful New York Mets in the newly created three-game Wild Card series. Or maybe it was when the incumbent champion Atlanta Braves were defeated by the six-seed Philadelphia Phillies in game four of five of the National League Division Series (NLDS). Or perhaps it was when the upstart Cleveland Guardians, the youngest team currently playing in baseball, nearly beat the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series (ALDS), only falling out of contention at the very last moment, within game five.
Regardless, this has been a year of historic upsets. Almost none of the regular season division winners advanced to their respective second rounds, although there are two notable exceptions. One was the New York Yankees, but their sloppy play got them swept in the American League Championship Series (ALCS). The other division winner that made it through the gauntlet was American League winner the Houston Astros.
The Astros have had an absolute mammoth of a run so far in the postseason, having swept every team they have seen. And this comes with several of their most important pieces underperforming, like Jose Altuve. The Astros are too good to lose, or at least they have been so far.
Their World Series opponent is the National League winner Philadelphia Phillies. Despite having only won 87 games within the regular season, the Phillies have become a force to be reckoned with in their first playoff run in over a decade, having a 9-2 postseason record, only slightly worse than Houston’s. This team has some gaping holes that Houston does not, most notably a weaker second half of the pitching rotation than the Astros. But what the Phillies also have seems to be a simple assuredness that they have what it takes to win, and a chemistry that can bring that to fruition.
While it would be easier to simply say that the Astros will overpower the Phillies with their polished roster and win in five or six games, I find that hard to believe. The Phillies have what it takes to make a Cinderella run. Under the tight pitching of Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, and the remarkable hitting of Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, and Kyle Schwarber, the Phillies can overpower Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, and anyone else that the Astros throw at them, while also containing the unbelievable offensive power of Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, and Jeremy Pena. It will not be easy, and both teams will have their signature moments and their struggles, but I see the Philadelphia Phillies beating the Houston Astros and winning their third championship in six games.
Regardless of the winner, though, this postseason has been one for the history books in terms of unexpected winners and losers, thrilling matchups, and electric performances. Fans are in for a treat for this David vs. Goliath of a World Series.
