World Series Preview, Do the Phils have what it takes to take down the juggernaut in Houston?

“How many more we got JT?”, “WE GOT 4 MORE TOPPER!”. Yes, that’s right, just in case it hasn’t sank in yet, your Philadelphia Phillies are 4 wins away from becoming World Series champions.

It still hasn’t sank in for most around the Delaware Valley, and rightfully so. Only a few weeks ago, it seemed as though the Phils may be on the verge of a 4th consecutive September collapse. But now in the most improbable turn of events, the Phillies are one of two teams left in the postseason. The road to eternal glory is clear, but there is still one challenge in their way, and it very well might be their toughest yet.

If the Phillies want to become world champions they are going to need to take down the best team in Baseball, the Houston Astros. Through 7 games this postseason, the Stros are a perfect 7-0 in the ALDS and CS. The Phils will look to hand them their first loss; in game one of the series Friday night in Houston.

When you take a look at the matchup on paper, the Astros have a clear and obvious advantage. With 90% of their pitchers holding a sub-4 ERA this season, while also boasting possibly the best lineup in Baseball, It’s certainly not going to be a cakewalk for Bryce Harper and company.

If the Phillies are going to have one advantage in this series, it’s going to be found in the rotation. The two-headed monster of Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola has spearheaded the Phillies postseason effort. Combing for 11 Earned runs in 37.2 innings of work, the twin aces can provide a huge early series advantage for the Phils if they are on their game. While the rotation for the series has not yet been announced, we can still attempt to paint a picture of what it may be..

Game 1: Nola Vs Verlander

Game 2: Wheeler Vs McCullers

Off Day

Game 3: Valdez Vs Suarez

Game 4: Javier Vs Bullpen

Game 5: Verlander Vs Nola

Off Day

Game 6: Wheeler Vs McCullers

Game 7: Suarez Vs Valdez

There are many variations of the rotation being thrown out there, but the reality of win-or-go-home Baseball is; you need to do everything you can to win each night. Whether that means pitching Ranger Suarez in the 9th like Topper did against the Padres, or even pitching Aaron Nola in the 8th or 9th inning of a crucial game. The series will no doubt come down to who allows the least amount of runs, and the Phillies have the tools to win that category as long as their horses are on their game.

When it comes to the Bats, the teams look to be more evenly matched. The Astros, despite being one of the best offensive teams in Baseball have struggled to hit at a high rate against right-handed pitching. Most of their lineup rests between a .200-.250 batting average, while the numbers against lefties are not as forgiving. If the Phillies want to keep the Astros offense quiet, they will need to bode with the likes of Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, and Jose Altuve. Altuve, though having a quiet postseason is always a threat to turn it on, especially in the big moments.

Focusing more on Philly’s bats; there comes the obvious, Bryce Harper is having one of the greatest offensive postseasons in Baseball history. He’s batting a ludicrous .419 with nearly a 1.300 OPS. In addition, we have seen the likes of Rhys Hoskins, JT Realmuto, and Kyle Schwarber all get hot at the right time–leading into the series. Hitting slumps have been a problem for the Phils this year. But one constant that the squad has been able to lean on is the wherewithal of the veteran hitters to step up in the big moments and deliver a worthy hit.

There is no question that it is going to take everything the Phillies have to take down the monster that is the Houston Astros. This Houston team has drawn comparisons to the likes of the 27 Yankees and 75 Reds as one of the greatest rosters of all time. But if I were to pick any team to take down a heavy favorite in the biggest series of the year, it would without a doubt be the Fightin Phils.