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This year's Fall Classic is the least prestigious one in a long time: a team who only won once (granted, it was two years ago) vs a team who is in the World Series for the first time ever (my condolences to the Seattle Mariners). First, the latter. The Washington Nationals have existed for 51 seasons; originally debuting at the Montréal Expos in 1969. As the Expos, their only postseason came in 1981. In 1994, they had the best record in baseball, but the strike happened. They would never return to that form and they relocated to Washington DC in 2005 as the Nationals, where they started playing October baseball on a near regular basis. However, despite boasting a stellar rotation and the best player in the league in Bryce Harper, they never got past the NLDS. Even worse, Bryce left for Philly and the team was 19-31 after 50 games. Yet somehow, the team rallied together and racked up wins in bunches, finishing second in the NL East and reaching the postseason (which Bryce did not do). They won the NL Wild Card over Milwaukee in comeback fashion, they won a series for the first time ever when they defeated the Dodgers in five, and they swept the Cardinals in the NLCS to win their first pennant in franchise history.
The Houston Astros are another rags-to-riches story, but they received their riches two years ago. After losing the pennant last year, they looked to get that luster back this season, and it began with winning 107 games and running away with the AL West. The Astros won a five-game thriller over the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS, and went on to continue being the New York Yankees' bogeymen; beating the Bronx Bombers in a six-game ALCS capped off by Jose Altuve's walk-off HR. Not just Altuve, but Alex Bregman, George Springer (2017 WS MVP), Carlos Correa, Michael Brantley, Yuli Gurriel, and pitching aces in Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander, and newly trade-acquired Zack Greinke. In other words, the Astros didn't believe in the classic saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." It wasn't broke, but they tweaked it just in case.
Nationals fun facts: Game Three of this Series will mark the first WS game played in Washington since October 7, 1933. The original Washington Senators reached the World Series three times; winning in 1924 but losing in 1927 and 1933. Since that team moved to Minnesota and became the Twins, they reached the World Series three times, losing in 1965 but winning in 1987 and 1991. The 2nd Washington Senators team never reached the World Series in its 11 season existence (1961-1971). Since moving to Arlington and becoming the Texas Rangers, they reached the World Series in 2010 and 2011, losing both times. The Nationals winning the NLCS means that every National League team has played in at least one World Series.
Astros fun facts: This is the Astros' third overall World Series appearance, and second in three years. This is also the fifth time that Texas is represented in the Fall Classic, with all five times coming in the 2010s. For Justin Verlander, this is his fourth World Series appearance, he appeared twice with the Tigers in 2006 and 2012 (the latter with Max Scherzer), and won in 2017.
Prediction: Astros have the firepower, but the Nats have the pitching. Even the pen, which has been a question mark all season, seems to be gelling. I want to see history made, we saw it in the NHL and NBA this past June with the Blues and Raptors. I say the Nats join the party. Nationals in 6
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