MLB 2019 World Series Preview
As summer turns to autumn, the MLB season has reached its peak. The Houston Astros will face the Washington Nationals in the 2019 World Series. How do the contenders stack up?
As of right now, the Houston Astros (107-55, 1st in AL) are the clear cut favorites to win it all, and it’s not hard to see why. With bats such as Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, and rookie Yordan Alvarez, Houston has sped to the best record in baseball. However, their greatest strength is in their starting rotation. Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole have pitched their way to #1 and #2 most likely in AL Cy Young voting, and their midseason trade for Zack Grienke has added another elite arm to their starting five. There aren’t many tangible weaknesses that can be seen with the Astros, but October usually finds a way to expose them. After a dominant Game 5 series win over the Rays, and Jose Altuve’s series clinching walk-off home run in the ALCS vs the Yankees, the Astros face a formidable challenge in the Nats. If the Astros win it all, it’ll be their second World Series win in three years.
The Washington Nationals (93-69, 4th in NL) were a team that came out of nowhere this season. After the departure of franchise face Bryce Harper last offseason, and going 19-31 in their first 50 games, this team was all but dead, but a resurgent hitting core and a killer rotation led to the third best record in the second half of the season. Resurgent aces in Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg and recently acquired Patrick Corbin make up their rotation, while Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto, and mainstay Ryan Zimmerman have all been key to their success. Their victories over the Brewers in the Wild Card Game and the Dodgers in the NLDS came difficult, but they went on to sweep the Cardinals in the ALCS. If the Nats win, it will be the city’s first World Series win since the 1924 Washington Senators (present-day Minnesota Twins), and the first of the Nationals/Expos franchise (est. 1969).
In terms of predictions, I have the Houston Astros in six. While the majority of the MLB season has been focused on Home Runs and offensive production, this series will primarily be a pitching duel between two of the best rotations in the game. With elite pitching on both sides, it will eventually come down to what offense can produce more, and in that the Astros have the clear advantage. However, the Nationals do have a very good chance to win this series, and crazier things have happened. The World Series begins on Tuesday in Houston.