Matchups are everything in baseball. Literally every pitch of every at-bat is a mini-battle that helps determine the outcome of the overall war. But certain matchups are more interesting than others. This is especially true in the postseason.
As the 2019 World Series gets underway, here are five matchups we're eager to see — because they all have the potential to swing the series one way or another.
MORE: 2019 World Series odds, predictions, betting trends
Juan Soto vs. Justin Verlander
The age-defying Verlander had another outstanding season for the Astros, one that will produce either his second American League Cy Young award or his fourth second-place finish (the awards are announced in November). In contrast to the 36-year-old right-hander, the 20-year-old Soto is pretty age-defying, too. The list of players in MLB history who have accomplished what he has by his age — he’ll celebrate his 21st birthday during Game 3 in D.C. — is incredibly short.
But the matchup between Verlander and Soto isn’t just fascinating from an age perspective. Their battles in Game 2 and when/if Verlander makes his second start will be incredibly important from an on-the-field perspective, too. Verlander’s major weakness this year has been his propensity for allowing home run: 36 in 34 regular-season starts and five in four postseason starts.
Soto has the very important job of protecting MVP candidate Anthony Rendon in the Nationals’ lineup. He popped a couple of homers against the Dodgers in the NLDS — including a critical one off Clayton Kershaw late in Game 5 — but didn’t do much against the Cardinals in the NLCS (.485 OPS). Soto hit 34 homers in the regular season, and 28 of those came against right-handers. When facing Verlander — and, of course, this goes for Gerrit Cole, too — the Nationals can’t count on extended multiple-hit rallies to produce big numbers on the scoreboard. But a couple of key swings with a runner or two on base? Those can shift a series.
— Ryan Fagan (@RyanFagan)
Alex Bregman vs. Anthony Rendon
The elite starting pitching might get a lot of the fanfare this Fall Classic, but it's a pair of third basemen that could make all the difference.
Much ado was made of Belli vs. Yeli in the 2019 NL MVP race, but Dodgers and Brewers fans might want to keep the champagne corked, because Anthony Rendon was popping off in the NL this year: Bellinger and Yelich both led the NL in fWAR, tied at 7.8 apiece, with Rendon close behind at a 7.0 mark. Rendon might not have done enough to sway voters at the end of the season to earn those votes, but he certainly did enough to earn a fat paycheck come winter.
Rendon's American League counterpart, though, is firmly in the AL MVP conversation and has a great case to win it. Bregman lead Mike Trout in bWAR by 0.1 (8.4 to 8.3), while Trout led Bregman 8.6 to 8.5 in fWAR. Either way you slice it, the 25-year-old budding superstar made plenty of noise in the regular season.
Both guys are critical to the success of their respective offenses in the World Series. Rendon proved that in the NLCS, crushing St. Louis pitching in the four-game sweep: he slashed .417/.529/.500 over 12 at-bats, with five hits and four walks over that span. Bregman was somewhat neutralized in the ALCS vs. New York, with a .645 OPS in 18 at-bats over six games, though he did have a .423 OBP. Before that, though, he had a monster ALDS and was a key piece of knocking off the upstart Rays in five games.
The braggadocios Bregman and the reserved Rendon exemplify everything that makes baseball great, too. They both showcase their talents in their own way, with their own brand of flair. That's something that baseball fans should keep a close eye on as the World Series gets underway.
Can Bregman break out of it? Will Rendon break the code of Astros' pitching? Found out on the next episode of "Dragon Ball Z." Sorry, we mean the World Series.
— Joe Rivera (@JoeRiveraSN)
Max Scherzer vs. Jose Altuve
The-best-vs.-the-best matchups are always fun, and there could be any number of those in this series, given the immense talent on both rosters. But one version of "best vs. best" has the potential to be especially entertaining: Max Scherzer vs. Jose Altuve.
While both Scherzer and Altuve had "down" years by their standards in 2019, none of that matters on the World Series stage — so this has the potential to be among the standout attractions of the series. The two have faced off 11 times in their careers, with Scherzer getting the better of Altuve in nine of those at-bat. But, again, nothing about that small sample size matters now. It's just two elite competitors doing battle under the brightest spotlight in the sport, and both make you feel as though they have the upper hand, no matter the situation. That's good postseason drama right there.
Scherzer represents the epitome of dominant pitcher, the best the Nats have to offer, while Altuve is a quintessential big-moment guy, as evidenced by his pennant-winning walk-off homer against the Yankees and his .906 career postseason OPS. Watching them face off should be plenty entertaining. But should we get a game-on-the-line moment featuring these two talents, it should make things all the more thrilling.
— Jason Foster (@ByJasonFoster)
Sean Doolittle vs. righties
Much attention has been placed on Nationals closer Daniel Hudson this postseason, but against an Astros lineup capable of breaking into a bullpen early even when matched up against elite starting pitching, Sean Doolittle will also be crucial to the Nationals in the World Series.
Doolittle, who has saved 75 regular-season games since joining the Nationals in 2017, will join Tanner Rainey as the team's most trusted seventh- and eighth-inning relievers. Doolittle will almost certainly need to get right-handed batters out in the series — of Houston's best seven regular season hitters, five swing from the right side. That includes Jose Altuve, George Springer and Alex Bregman. Righties this year have slashed .279/.339/.485 against Doolittle with nine home runs.
Because Washington's bullpen depth is thin, it needs Doolittle to be more than a one- or two-batter matchup guy. If he cannot get through clean innings in the manner he did in the NLDS and NLCS, it will be near impossible for the Nationals to hold off an Astros team that at least on paper is much more talented.
— Dan Bernstein (@dan_bernstein_)
Nationals' starters vs. Astros' offense
Admittedly, this one is kind of a no-duh thing. But think about it: The Astros' team slash line of .274/.352/.495 led all of MLB in 2019. Their .848 team OPS? Also No. 1. Their 645 walks? Yes, also the best.
There's no way around it: The Astros are a collective monster on offense. They can mash the ball all over the field, but they're also plenty patient at the plate. That's usually not a good formula for an opponent that lacks dominant starting pitching. But the Nationals, thankfully for them, don't lack in that area. So the question becomes this: Will Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin be at the top of their games during the series? Because that might be what it takes to keep the 'Stros from hoisting another trophy. One bad outing from any of those three could put Washington in a tough spot — especially given the elite starting pitching on Houston's side.
Then again, this assumes the Astros' hitters will be at the top of their games. There's no reason to think they won't be, but all it would take for Washington's pitching to seize control is an off day at the plate from a couple of Houston's key hitters. Either way, this series should be a great case study on the "good pitching beats good hitting" theory.
— Jason Foster (@ByJasonFoster)
