ATLANTA BRAVES vs HOUSTON ASTROS

[Mary C]

 

 

 

Can the bad guys make amends for their years as the outlaws? Can the underdogs serve a match to make people forget their string of failures? The Houston Astros face off against the Atlanta Braves yet again since their last match in 2017. Looking for predictions? Here’s how things are looking for the Astros-Brave matches for World Series glory. 

 

Now, following the sign-stealing scandals of the Astros in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, they’ve earned quite the infamy in Major League Baseball. However, with an offense that has scored 67 runs in 10 playoff games, and six of seven wins with at least five runs, they were able to qualify for the World Series. As if a testament to their lineup that had the lowest strikeout rate in the majors during the regular season, 45 of those 67 runs came with two outs. The Braves, on the other hand, rose above the ranks after a triumphant match against the defending champions in the National League Championship Series: the Dodgers. Being the team with the fewest wins among the 10 playoff teams, excluding 2020, Atlanta has been on a surprising spree since early August.  

 

So which team has the upper hand? Let’s talk players and numbers.  

 

One advantage of the Atlanta Braves that plays into the disadvantage of the Houston Astros: the injury of Astro’s best starting pitcher: Lance McCullers Jr. McCullers’ earned run average (ERA), Strikeout Total, and Baseball-Reference’s calculation (bWAR) are 3.16, 185, and 3.5 respectively. McCullers has already missed the American League Competition Series with an injury, so he’s likely out for the World Series as well. On such short notice in October, though the Astros miraculously finished the ALCS with a split, surviving without McCullers would be challenging against the Brave’s sturdy lineup. Fortunately for the Astros, they still have Yordan Alvarez with a 136 OPS+ in the regular season and 1.408 OPS+ in the ALCS for a strong designated hitter that will even out the playing field. 

 

Ultimately, while both teams aren’t really fanning favorites in the World Series, it will still be an interesting game with depth. It is expected for the game to end with Atlanta Braves in 7. 

 

POTENTIAL STARTING LINEUPS: 

ATLANTA BRAVES: 

P | Charlie Morton 

RP | Kevin Joseph 

CL | Will Smith 

C| Travis d’Arnaud 

1B| Freddie Freeman 

2B | Ozzie Albies 

3B | Austin Riley 

SS | Dansby Swanson 

LF | Eddie Rosario 

CF | Adam Duvall 

RF | Jorge Soler 

DH | Austin Riley 

 

HOUSTON ASTROS: 

P | Lance McCullers Jr. 

RP | Kendall Graveman 

CL | Ryan Pressly 

C| Martin Maldonado 

1B| Yuli Gurriel 

2B | Jose Altuve 

3B | Alex Bregman 

SS | Carlos Correa 

LF | Michael Brantley 

CF | Jake Meyers 

RF | Kyle Tucker 

DH | Yordan Alvarez 

 

Will the Braves truly turn out victorious? Or are you still rooting for the infamous Astros? Tune in this October 26, 8:09 PM ET (Oct 27, 8:09 AM, PST) in the Minute Maid Field for the Astros-Brave World Series.