The Fall Classic is upon us, and with that the sun will set on the Sports Equinox. Either the Philadelphia Phillies or Houston Astros will be the 2022 World Series Champions, and most of America is rooting for the underdog Phillies. Philadelphia won the NL Pennant for the first time since 2009, and the Phillies are looking to win just their third World series in franchise history. Meanwhile, Houston is still one of the most disliked teams in the country following the cheating scandal, and the Astros have won the AL Pennant in four of the last six years.
World Series Schedule (Every Game Will Start at 8 p.m. ET on FOX)
Game 1 – Philadelphia @ Houston, Friday, October 28
Game 2 – Philadelphia @ Houston, Saturday, October 29
Game 3 – Houston @ Philadelphia, Monday, October 3
Game 4 – Houston @ Philadelphia, Tuesday, November 1
Game 5 – Houston @ Philadelphia, Wednesday, November 2 (if necessary)
Game 6 – Philadelphia @ Houston, Friday, November 4 (if necessary)
Game 7 – Philadelphia @ Houston, Saturday, November 5 (if necessary)
2022 World Series Betting Odds
Philadelphia Phillies +160
Houston Astros -185
Total Games – Over 5.5 -193 / Under 5.5 +153
How They Got Here
The Philadelphia Phillies were as much as 50-1 to win the World Series earlier this year. The team fired Joe Girardi after a 22-29 start, but they proceeded to win nine straight games after Girardi was fired. They never dropped below .500 again after that run, and they ended up beating out the Milwaukee Brewers for the final playoff spot by one game. The Phillies were underdogs in all three of their postseason series, but they have only dropped two games thanks to excellent pitching and timely hitting.
Interestingly enough, Houston met Philadelphia in its final regular season series. The Astros dropped the first game before beating the Phillies over the next two games to close out a 106-win season. They swept Seattle in a three-game series that was closer than you might think given the nature of it, and then they swept the New York Yankees to make the World Series once again.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have two great arms in Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. Wheeler has registered a quality start in all four of his games pitched during the playoffs, and he boasts a dazzling 0.51 WHIP and 1.78 ERA in 25.1 innings of work. Meanwhile, Nola has been solid with a 1.10 WHIP and 3.12 ERA in 17.1 innings of work.
To no one’s surprise, Bryce Harper was named the NLCS MVP after his series winning heroics. Harper hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to lift the Phillies past San Diego in Game 5, keeping Philadelphia from having to fly back west for the last two games of the series. The two-time NL MVP has been the Phillies’ best bat by a mile in the playoffs with a .419 average with five home runs and a whopping 1.351 OPS.
The X-Factor in this series is how Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins will perform at the plate. Philadelphia’s first two hitters really struggled in the team’s first two series, but they came alive against San Diego. Schwarber and Hoskins combined to hit seven home runs and record eight walks against the Padres, helping this offense get back on track.
Houston Astros
The Astros have yet to drop a game in the postseason, as their pitching has been phenomenal. Houston has conceded just 15 earned runs in 72 innings, and seven of those earned runs were charged to AL Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander. Framber Valdez and Lance McCullers have been excellent, and the entire staff has an 11.1 K/9 through seven games.
Houston has needed the pitching to be spot on because the hitting hasn’t been great. Jose Altuve has struggled mightily, and Kyle Tucker is not hitting well either. Rookie Jeremy Pena was named the ALCS MVP after being the biggest surprise of the series, and he leads the team with a .990 OPS in the playoffs.
It’s been boom or bust for the Astros’ bats in the playoffs. They are hitting just .227 as a team, but they have a .708 OPS because they have hit 12 home runs in seven games.
2022 World Series Free Pick
Something special is in the air in Philadelphia, making the Phillies the play in the 2022 World Series. The bullpen has been sharp, and they are one of the few teams that has a 1-9 close to that of Houston. If you are looking for a longshot World Series MVP pick, consider Nick Castellanos at 40-1 as he is due to get going soon.
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