By Rory Carroll
(Reuters) – The powerhouse Astros enter Game One of the 118th World Series on Friday in Houston as heavy favorites to capture their second championship in six years but standing in their way is a red-hot Philadelphia team that continues to defy the odds.
The defending American League champion Astros capped their 106-win season by sweeping both the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees and could become the first team to go undefeated in the postseason since the wild-card era began in 1995.
It is difficult to find any weaknesses in this Houston team.
Their starting pitching boasts nine-time All-Star Justin Verlander and dynamic left-hander Framber Valdez, the likely starters for games one and two.
Their bullpen is stacked, allowing veteran manager Dusty Baker to get the match-ups he wants before handing the ball to closer Ryan Pressly, who converted his 15th consecutive save to close out the Yankees in Game Four of the American League Division Series.
Their lineup is dangerous from top to bottom, starting with the speedy Jose Altuve, who seems primed to break out of his current slump, slugger Yordan Alvarez and reliable third baseman Alex Bregman.
The Astros are also playing with a chip on their shoulder after an MLB investigation found that the team had illegally used technology to steal opposing teams’ signs during their 2017 championship season. The signs revealed which types of pitches were coming next to Astros batters.
The scandal tarnished their title and made the franchise widely reviled outside of Houston, something they are reminded of every road game.
“The scorn that we take – this team is mentally strong,” Baker told ESPN.
“Sometimes when you go through adversity, it makes you stronger.”
But there is something special happening with this Phillies squad.
They won just 87 games during the regular season and entered the playoffs as the National League’s sixth seed.
No matter. They got hot at the right time to beat the Cardinals in the wild card, the Braves in the Divisional Series and the Padres for the NL pennant to reach the World Series for their first time since 2009.
They have dominant starters Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler taking the mound in the first two games of the best-of-seven series, a better lineup than they get credit for, and a rabid and hungry fan base.
And then there is the team’s heartbeat, outfielder Bryce Harper.
Harper’s go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning on Sunday delivered the Phillies the pennant and was the highlight of the playoffs so far.
If Harper and the team can carry that magic into the Fall Classic, it could be enough to pull off a massive upset.
Working against a Phillies team running on great “vibes” is the lengthy break between their win over the Padres and the start of the World Series on Friday.
“I wish we played tomorrow,” Harper said after the Phillies’ win on Sunday night.
“I think our team, that’s how we are. We want to keep playing. We want to keep grinding.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
