This year the Houston Astros are playing the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. While Philadelphia hasn’t made it this far in the postseason since 2008, the Astros have made it through 6 times but have only won once in that time span.
In this year's standings, the Astros have been at the top for most of the season. Meanwhile, the Phillies were barely a playoff contender until late summer. The underdog in each playoff series, the Phillies continue to beat the odds.
The Astro players who are the true difference-makers include Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, and Justin Verlander. For the Phillies, the list includes Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, JT Realmuto, and Aaron Nola.
One major difference between these teams is their collaboration and unity. The Astros are mostly reliant on their top four or five players while the Phillies rely on team effort. For example, in Game One last Friday night, ninety percent of the Astros’ runs came from one player for the Phillies, each player had a role in the scoring. That night, the Astros took an early 5-0 lead but ultimately lost 6-5 in extra innings.
The series is currently tied 3-2 after Thursday night's game, and although the Astros have momentum, that can change at any time.
By: Bennett Szafranski (12th)