by Ralf Shockey ’25 on November 10, 2023
PCI
Disclaimer: This article was written prior to the elimination of this team from the MLB Playoffs.
The Houston Astros are going to win the World Series and their third championship in six years. Yes, I know this might not be the popular or sexy pick to make per se, but history has told us to bet against the Astros at your own risk.
Assuming this year’s World Series matchup is going to be Philadelphia vs. Houston, as both teams are up 3–2 in their respective series at the time that I am writing this, a lot of folks will bet on Philadelphia and rightfully so. Philadelphia not only has Bryce Harper who is one of, if not the best, playoff performers in the sport, a nice one two punch in Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, but also arguably the biggest home field advantage in the sport, especially when the playoffs roll around.While this is true, when it comes to how Philadelphia matches up with Houston, I don’t believe that Philadelphia is going to keep dancing on their own for much longer. Look at last season’s World Series for example, where Houston beat Philadelphia 4–2 in six games to capture their second world championship in franchise history.
Philadelphia won the opening game of the rubber match 6–5 and shut out Houston 7–0 in game three before the Astros went on to win three straight games and ultimately the series. Houston has more depth and experience than Philadelphia both on the mound and in the batter’s box. On the bump, Houston has a big three of Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, and Christian Javier. Meanwhile in the box, they have a deep lineup that consists of Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Yordan Alvarez. These six players will prove to be too much for Philadelphia as they will be the most crucial components of whether Houston wins the series or not. Don’t forget about legendary manager Dusty Baker either, who out-managed Phillies manager Rob Thompson in last season’s World Series and will do so again this time around.
Last season, Houston beat Philadelphia in six games. This season, Houston will beat Philadelphia again, only this time in seven games. The Astros will keep their dynasty alive as orange and dark blue confetti falls down and will reign supreme over the rest of the baseball world, signaling that the Astros aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.