World Series 2022: Full Schedule and Players Who Will Decide MLB Championship
It's been a thrilling 2022 MLB season, filled with exciting races, surprising runs and records. Only one series remains before we turn the page to the offsesaon, but it's a good one. The World Series matchup features one unsurprising entrant and a bit of a shocker.
The Houston Astros are back on the big stage after losing to the Atlanta Braves in last year's Fall Classic. Seeing them represent the American League isn't a surprise following a 106-win regular season. Few, however, likely saw the Philadelphia Phillies' run coming.
Philadelphia last made the playoffs in 2011, and their 87-win campaign didn't turn many heads. However, the Phillies are kings of the National League after ousting the St. Louis Cardinals, defending champion Braves and San Diego Padres from the postseason.
The Phillies lost all of two playoff games along the way, so they're not exactly your classic underdogs at this point. However, this will still be a fun series between a perennial contender and a franchise that hasn't made a lot of recent noise.
Individual players and matchups will have a huge impact on how things unfold in the coming days. The action is set to kick off Friday, and here you'll find a look at some of the series' biggest stars and the complete seven-game schedule.
2022 World Series Schedule and Odds
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Game 1: Friday, October 28, at Houston (Fox)
Game 2: Saturday, October 29, at Houston (Fox)
Game 3: Monday, October 31, at Philadelphia (Fox)
Game 4: Tuesday, November 1, at Philadelphia (Fox)
Game 5*: Wednesday, November 2, at Philadelphia (Fox)
Game 6*: Friday, November 4, at Houston (Fox)
Game 7*: Saturday, November 5, at Houston (Fox)
* if necessary
Odds to win the World Series
Astros: -185 (bet $185 to win $100)
Phillies: +160 (bet $100 to win $160)
Houston Astros SP Justin Verlander
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The Astros are favorites in this series, and their strong pitching staff is a big reason why. Led by ace Justin Verlander, Houston had the second-best ERA in the majors during the regular season (2.90), behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers' 2.80.
In the postseason, the Astros have posted an ERA of just 1.88, second only to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Verlander, of course, is the headliner here and the presumed Game 1 starter Friday. While he struggled against the Seattle Mariners earlier in the playoffs (10 hits in four innings), he was lights-out against the Yankees in the ALCS.
Against New York, Verlander logged 11 strikeouts in six innings while allowing just three hits and one run. Houston won that game 4-2 and never looked back en route to a series sweep. If Verlander can set a similar tone in Game 1 of this matchup, the Phillies may have a hard time playing catch-up.
If this series runs long, we'll likely see Verlander twice. Houston should feel good about its chances in that scenario. The 39-year-old compiled an impressive 18-4 record in the regular season with a 1.75 ERA.
Phillies SP Zack Wheeler
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The Phillies have a pair of standout pitchers of their own in Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. Either would deserve a mention here. However, we're focusing on Wheeler because of his late-season arm injury.
Wheeler landed on the injured list in late August with right forearm tendinitis and ended up missing five starts. Of course, Wheeler bounced back and has been electric in the postseason.
So far in the playoffs, Wheeler has delivered 25 strikeouts and only three walks. In two games against the Padres, he pitched 13 innings while only allowing two hits and two runs. However, Philadelphia seems not eager to overwork Wheeler, which is why Nola may get the Game 1 nod.
"I think the common sense way to go about it is to have Nola go Game 1 and give Wheeler the extra day rest and have him go Game 2," manager Rob Thomson told 94 WIP on Tuesday (h/t Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia). "But I'll talk to those guys a little bit tomorrow and we'll come up with it."
As long as Wheeler stays healthy, he'll be a difference-maker on the mound for the Phillies. If his arm starts acting up again, though, he could be a difference-maker for the wrong reasons.
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Astros 2B Jose Altuve
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With some fantastic pitching matchups on tap, we may see the team with the most consistent hitting come out on top. For this reason, the play of Astros second baseman Jose Altuve will be vital.
Altuve, an eight-time All-Star and the 2017 AL MVP, was simply sublime in the regular season. He batted .300 with 28 home runs, 57 RBI and a .921 OPS. That's barely below his 2017 OPS of .957.
However, Altuve seems to have hit a bit of a slump in the postseason. Thus far, he's produced a mere three hits in 32 at-bats with 11 strikeouts. On a positive note, all three hits came in the last two games against the Yankees.
Still, Altuve has scored only three times this postseason with no RBI, and that's a troubling trend with the Phillies pitching staff lurking.
The entire series won't solely be decided by Altuve, but Houston desperately needs him to return to his regular-season form. If he can do that, the Astros will have a good chance to find some offense against Philadelphia.
Phillies DH Bryce Harper
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There might not be a bigger name in this World Series than Phillies outfielder/designated hitter Bryce Harper. The seven-time All-Star and two-time NL MVP is playing in his first World Series at age 30 and will go a long way toward deciding its outcome.
Harper suffered a fractured thumb and an elbow injury, and he appeared in just 99 regular-season games. However, he's caught fire in the postseason and is probably the one batter Verlander and Co. won't want to face.
In these playoffs, Harper has 18 hits with 11 RBI in 43 at-bats. He's also hit five home runs, including a ludicrous go-ahead strike in Game 5 of the NLDS.
Harper can provide contact and the power needed to flip the course of the series on a single swing. Even if he isn't healthy enough to contribute on defense, he has the potential to swing Philadelphia into a championship.
If the Astros cannot find ways to pitch around Harper, Philly will stand a good chance of completing one of the most surprising runs in recent memory.
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