Providence College Investigates

by Justin Bishop and Joe Quirk on September 8, 2022


PCI


Who Will Win the 2022 World Series?

Justin Bishop ’24

Sports Staff

New York Mets

 Few teams are built to make the postseason, but only one is built to do so and win: the New York Mets. The Mets currently sit atop the National League East Division and are playing better than the reigning league champions, the Atlanta Braves. The Mets have consistently played well this year, despite their loss of starting pitching sensation and Cy Young award-winner Jacob deGrom. DeGrom missed more than half of the season dealing with an elbow injury that arose halfway through last season. The Mets have relied on a carousel of starters this year and have not had a solid rotation due to the aforementioned deGrom situation along with other injuries affecting the team. Off-season acquisition Max Scherzer has been on and off the disabled list this year and Taijuan Walker, a Mets constant over the last few seasons, is dealing with a back injury. Despite the pitching woes and injuries, the Mets are poised for a postseason run with a star-studded offense including the likes of Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso, who both are in the top 10 of RBIs in the league. Alonso led the league in home runs in 2019 and was also a reigning back-to-back homerun derby champion until he was dethroned this past all-star game. The additions of Tyler Naquin and Starling Marte this past offseason helped bolster down the questionable outfield that the team had last year. Naquin had a breakout year with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021, posting 111 hits and 19 home runs—both are career highs. Marte has untrainable speed and has posted more than 30 stolen bases in six seasons across his 11 year career. 

The Mets will need to maintain and expand their current NL East gap, which will be difficult as the Braves are no team to take lightly. After winning the World Series last year, the Braves lost an 11 year veteran first baseman in Freddie Freeman who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers this past off-season. The Mets not only have to worry about facing the Braves in the playoffs, but also the Dodgers. If they do make it all the way, they will most likely play their subway rival, the New York Yankees. The Yankees have the deadliest weapon in the league in the homerun leader, by 17 homers, Aaron Judge. The Mets, if fully healed from all their injuries, are still the team that is destined to make a World Series winning run in the postseason.

 

Joseph Quirk ’23

Sports Co-Editor

Houston Astros

Outside of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Houston Astros have the most well-rounded ballclub in all of baseball. Compared to the Dodgers, however, the Astros play in a weaker league, have an easier path to the World Series, more experienced players and a better recent Postseason record. 

To start with why the Astros will win the World Series, we must look at their offense. Houston currently ranks 3rd in the MLB in run differential, which measures how many runs the team has scored compared to how many they have given up to opponents. The Astros have a staggering +161 run differential which trails only the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Astros have stars all over the field, from MVP second baseman Jose Altuve, all-star third baseman Alex Bregman and young players Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. Each of these players excel at different things at the plate, have the necessary experience and exposure to the playoffs and can provide good to excellent defense (outside of Alvarez who is a designated hitter). The Astros also got aggressive and brought in two more solid bats at the trade deadline this year: Christian Vazquez and Trey Mancini. Vazquez is a massive upgrade at catcher for the Astros, even if he isn’t a star. And Mancini has done nothing but mash since getting exposed to the Crawford boxes at Minute Maid Park. 

The Astros aren’t just a one trick pony, however. The Astros also feature a deep and dangerous starting pitching rotation that features ace and Cy Young candidate (and former award winner) Justin Verlander. Verlander is 37 and coming off of Tommy John surgery that kept him out for part of the 2020 season and all of the 2021 season. Yet in 24 starts this season, Verlander boasts a 1.84 ERA, 154 strikeouts (in 152 innings pitched) and a WHIP of 0.855. When it comes to the Postseason, pitching is arguably the most important piece of a contending team. Pitchers can single handedly win games and Verlander, who has been a World Series champion in the past, was a big part of that push. This is an Astros team that made it to the fall classic just last season and had Verlander been there maybe they would be competing to defend a title right now. 

  The Astros also play in a weaker American League, which will likely see them with a first round bye and home field advantage. Their biggest competition, the New York Yankees, are unraveling. The AL is wide open for them to run away with. As for the Dodgers, they have to face the San Diego Padres, New York Mets or Atlanta Braves to make it out of the National League. 

Outside of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Houston Astros have the most well-rounded ballclub in all of baseball. Compared to the Dodgers, however, the Astros play in a weaker league, have an easier path to the World Series, more experienced players and a better recent Postseason record. 

To start with why the Astros will win the World Series, we must look at their offense. Houston currently ranks 3rd in the MLB in run differential, which measures how many runs the team has scored compared to how many they have given up to opponents. The Astros have a staggering +161 run differential which trails only the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Astros have stars all over the field, from MVP second baseman Jose Altuve, all-star third baseman Alex Bregman and young players Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. Each of these players excel at different things at the plate, have the necessary experience and exposure to the playoffs and can provide good to excellent defense (outside of Alvarez who is a designated hitter). The Astros also got aggressive and brought in two more solid bats at the trade deadline this year: Christian Vazquez and Trey Mancini. Vazquez is a massive upgrade at catcher for the Astros, even if he isn’t a star. And Mancini has done nothing but mash since getting exposed to the Crawford boxes at Minute Maid Park. 

The Astros aren’t just a one trick pony, however. The Astros also feature a deep and dangerous starting pitching rotation that features ace and Cy Young candidate (and former award winner) Justin Verlander. Verlander is 37 and coming off of Tommy John surgery that kept him out for part of the 2020 season and all of the 2021 season. Yet in 24 starts this season, Verlander boasts a 1.84 ERA, 154 strikeouts (in 152 innings pitched) and a WHIP of 0.855. When it comes to the Postseason, pitching is arguably the most important piece of a contending team. Pitchers can single handedly win games and Verlander, who has been a World Series champion in the past, was a big part of that push. This is an Astros team that made it to the fall classic just last season and had Verlander been there maybe they would be competing to defend a title right now. 

  The Astros also play in a weaker American League, which will likely see them with a first round bye and home field advantage. Their biggest competition, the New York Yankees, are unraveling. The AL is wide open for them to run away with. As for the Dodgers, they have to face the San Diego Padres, New York Mets or Atlanta Braves to make it out of the National League.