The Philadelphia Phillies will start their World Series journey on Friday in Houston against the mighty Astros.
They have a 9-2 record in the postseason so far, an impressive achievement for a team that won “just” 87 games in the regular season.
Talk about peaking at the right time!
If they complete their postseason run with a World Series win against the undefeated Astros, it will be one of the biggest sports achievements of the year.
Philadelphia has a talented pitching staff and some really great hitters to put up a fight, and perhaps a bit more than that.
To start the series, they will send one of their best cards: Aaron Nola.
“Rob Thomson says Aaron Nola will start Game 1 Friday night in Houston,” NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark tweeted.
Rob Thomson says Aaron Nola will start Game 1 Friday night in Houston pic.twitter.com/HhpyN474R2
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) October 26, 2022
Nola had a very good regular season, as usual.
A Really Solid Pitcher
He posted a solid 3.25 ERA in 205 innings in 2022, with an elite 29/253 BB/K ratio.
He has been equally good in the playoffs for the Phils, with a great 3.12 ERA.
With Nola and Zack Wheeler, Rob Thomson’s Phillies will have two aces for a maximum of four games.
That’s more than half of the (potentially) seven games.
The key for the Phillies will probably be how the rest of the rotation fares in the remaining three games, provided it goes to the maximum of seven.
Noah Syndergaard, Bailey Falter, Kyle Gibson, and Ranger Suarez are all capable starters, but are they good enough to silence the Astros’ stellar lineup for five or six innings?
That is the burning question of the Fall Classic.
For now, Nola will be tasked with keeping the Astros at bay in Houston, which is no small task.
He is capable of doing that, though.
