7:02 pm | October 1, 2018 | Go to Source | Author:
The Houston Astros avoided a World Series hangover out of the gate, roaring to a 20-10 April behind a dominant starting rotation. It wasn’t an easy ride to the AL West title, however, as first the Mariners and then the A’s challenged them, and the offense struggled at times as Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and George Springer all missed time with injuries. They wrapped things up with a strong finish and became the first team since the 2005 Cardinals to win 100 games in back-to-back seasons.
WHERE THEY STAND
World Series odds
Odds To Beat
- ALDS
- ALCS
- WS
The Astros didn’t win the most games, but they did have the best run differential. They have a great one-two punch at the top of the rotation, a lineup that hasn’t bashed like last season but remains scary and deep, and a bullpen with incredible depth that led the majors in ERA. No team has gone back-to-back since the Yankees won three in a row in 1998-2000, and getting through the AL will be tough, but this could be a dynasty in the making.
Good news if they play
The Indians
The Astros were much better against left-handed pitching, so it’s definitely possible that Cleveland’s right-handed starters could shut them down. On the other hand, we have this: The Astros led the majors in OPS against fastballs in the upper half of the strike zone; the Indians allowed the third-highest OPS on those fastballs.
Bad news if they play
The Dodgers
There’s the obvious revenge factor, but the Dodgers also had the second-highest OPS in the majors against right-handed pitchers and Houston’s staff is almost entire right-handed. Against righties, Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger have the platoon advantage and Joc Pederson gets into the lineup.
starting pitcher rankings
Scale of 1-32 based on top four starters for each postseason team.
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2
- Justin
Verlander
Adding Cole to a rotation featuring two Cy Young winners in Verlander and Keuchel turned a strong Houston rotation into a dominant one. No matter how the Astros set up their starting pitching in the postseason, they figure to have an advantage on the mound most of the time.
A pitcher he’d feast on
Mike Fiers, A’s
The most impressive thing about Bregman is he has no obvious weakness and even hits well against sliders, which many pitchers use as a wipeout pitch with two strikes. Fiers isn’t a big strikeout guy, so Bregman’s bat-to-ball ability could play up against him or any of the Oakland starters if they meet.
One who’d give him trouble
Carlos Carrasco, Indians
Bregman is a launch-angle guy and his OPS is much higher against fly ball pitchers than ground ball pitchers. Carrasco generates grounders with his slider, so this is a guy Bregman might have trouble getting into the air.
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