PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Just over three weeks ago the Phillies had a putrid 13-4 loss in Game 1 of a doubleheader at the Washington Nationals — the worst team in baseball this season. A couple days prior to that, the Cubs — another terrible squad — swept the Phils out of Chicago.
Raise your hand if at either of those moments you thought, “I think the Phillies are going to go to the World Series!”
Following an improbable run, the 2022 Philadelphia Phillies are the 2022 National League champions, setting up a date with the Houston Astros — a mighty team from the American League, certain to be heavy favorites over the Phils.
This is Houston's fourth World Series appearance in the past six seasons.
The first two games of the Fall Classic will be in Houston’s Minute Maid Park. The next two games will be at Citizens Bank Park. Game 5, if necessary, in this best-of-seven series will also be in South Philadelphia. Then, if the series is still going, it will head back to Houston for, at most, two games.
Here are four facts to get you ready for the World Series.
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1. When was the last time Houston lost?
The Astros had the best regular season record in the American League this season, at 106-56, which is 19 more wins than the Phillies had. They won their division with ease and were the top seed in the AL playoffs, which they completely swept — taking care of the Seattle Mariners in three games, followed by the New York Yankees in four.
In fact, the last time the Astros lost a game was Oct. 3 when the Phillies beat them 3-0 in Houston, clinching the Phils a spot in the playoffs to end a decade-long postseason drought.
At that point, the Astros had nothing to play for, but after losing to the Phillies in the opener of that three-game series, they nearly no-hit the Phils the next night and also beat them in the regular season finale. Thus, Houston is on a nine-game winning streak.
They’re just as hot as the Phillies, and have lost more than two in a row only three times all season. The ’Stros are deep in many different facets of the game.
The Phillies want to at least split the first two games in Houston — as they did in Atlanta and San Diego — but the Astros certainly won’t make it easy. Philly would need to play some of its best baseball all season.
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2. Redemption time for the Astros
While the Phillies are in the World Series for the first time since 2009, the Astros — who have built a strong core of players in recent years — will be making their fourth trip in six seasons, their third in the last four.
They won the World Series over the L.A. Dodgers in 2017, but some say that title is tainted by a sign-stealing scandal. Since then, they lost in the 2019 World Series to the Washington Nationals and last season to the Atlanta Braves — both NL East teams, like the Phillies, and both clinchers were at Minute Maid Park.
You have to assume that doesn’t sit well with Houston.
3. Four days to catch your breath
The past couple weeks of baseball have been breathtakingly exciting. With the Phillies being one of the Wild Card teams, it has essentially been non-stop, minus an off day, or two, here or there. Meanwhile, the Astros are undefeated in the postseason with stars like rookie Jeremy Pena, Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez providing some incredible moments.
With four days off before Game 1 on Friday in Houston, will either team become rusty? That’s a question going into this matchup. The only difference in the teams is the Astros are used to this kind of break after having a bye following the regular season.
It clearly didn’t affect them.
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4. 1980 NLCS rematch
The only other time the Phillies and Astros met in the postseason was the 1980 National League Championship Series. The Phils rallied in the epic slugfest to win in five games, eventually leading to their first World Championship. It is considered one of the best postseason series of all time.
In the mid-2000s, the Phillies and Astros were competing for the National League Wild Card spot. In fact, in 2005, the Astros edged the Phils by one game for the Wild Card. That Houston team ended up going to the World Series.
Houston moved to the American League in 2013, which has significantly limited the Phillies trips to Minute Maid Park over the years, as well as the amount of times they have faced the Astros.