It’s set. The AL Champion Houston Astros will square off against the NL Champion Los Angeles Dodgers to determine who will be crowned the 2017 World Series Champions.
The Keys for a Dodgers win
A Reliable Kershaw
The Dodgers’ lineup is stacked. Chris Taylor has emerged as a capable hitting center fielder after assuming a bench role in Seattle. Perennial CY Young award winner Clayton Kershaw is undoubtedly the Dodger ace in the regular season but sports a 4.40 ERA in the playoffs in his career. Can the 29-year-old finally put it together on baseball’s biggest stage?
A Healthy Corey Seager
Corey Seager notably sat out the NLCS with a nagging back, with the aforementioned Chris Taylor and Charlie Culberson subbed in at shortstop. Seager should presumably return to the Dodgers’ World Series roster healthy and ready to go. Corey Seager’s bat would be a welcome addition to a potent Dodgers lineup which already includes NL Rookie of the Year favorite Cody Bellinger and NLCS hero Justin Turner.
The Same Ol’ Kenley Jansen
Kenley Jansen has been one of the best closers in baseball since his MLB debut in 2010. The catcher turned pitcher boasts 12 K’s in 8 innings this postseason, and has yet to give up a run. If his dominance continues, a Dodgers lead through 8 innings is just as good as a win.
The Keys for an Astros Win
A Hot Altuve Bat
Jose Altuve looks to continue his hot swinging into the World Series. The AL MVP favorite hit 3 HRs in ALDS Game 1 vs. Boston and is batting .400 for the playoffs.
Verlander, Keuchel, and Morton Pitching Deep with the Lead
Of Houston’s eight postseason wins, SEVEN were earned by this trio. These three need to carry the workload because dipping into Houston’s bullpen would be like bringing gasoline to put out a fire.
A Josh Reddick Breakout
Many Houston bats were quiet against the Yankees, but none were silent quite like Reddick’s. The man who signed a 4-year, $52 million contract this past offseason didn’t get his first ALCS knock until Game 7. Houston needs Reddick to find the lucky rabbit’s foot that got him his $52 million dollar deal if they want to score runs.
This World Series is set up to be an interesting one, although many would’ve liked to see a Dodgers/Yankees matchup, reminiscent of 1963. Tune in for Game 1 of the World Series tomorrow 8 PM ET on FOX. My money has the Dodgers in 6.
