The upcoming World Series showdown between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies is a historic mismatch based on their regular-season records, but that's not what will decide the series.
As for what will, allow us to share some notions.
We've taken a deep dive into 10 particular matchups that could swing the Astros-Phillies Fall Classic in one direction or the other. These cover all sorts of factors, including how both teams will deal with a particularly long break, assorted hitting and pitching components and one area where one of the teams will be up against itself.
Now then, let's go ahead and break 'em down.
Both Teams vs. Rust
Both the Astros and the Phillies last played on Sunday, when they became the first pair of teams to clinch their league's pennant on the same day since 1992:
With the World Series not set to start until Friday, the Astros and Phillies are thus going to begin the series after a four-day break. That's far from unprecedented, but it's a rare one. A mutual break that long happened only once (in 2014) between 2003 and 2021.
Therefore, it's fair to wonder if rust will be a factor, though it would seem to be a greater threat to the Phillies.
The Astros are a perfect 7-0 in the playoffs despite getting a five-day break between the end of their regular season and the start of the American League Division Series. As for the Phillies, the All-Star break accounts for the only time they've had a four-day layoff this year.
Does the fact that the Phillies lost four of five immediately after the break mean anything in this regard? Almost certainly not, and yet it is the kind of thing that makes one go "hmmm…"
Jose Altuve vs. His Slump
Considering what they've gotten from Jose Altuve, it's kind of amazing that the Astros are still standing in the playoffs, much less unbeaten.
The 2017 American League MVP is 3-for-32 out of Houston's leadoff spot, though that admittedly marks an improvement on the hitless streak with which he started the proceedings.
The three hits that Altuve recorded in the last two games of the American League Championship Series were less than crushed. He had a well-placed double, a single that barely escaped the infield and another single that didn't.
More so than a case of bad luck, his slump is one of bad swing decisions. Consider his rate of swings outside the strike zone, which is up from 28 percent during the regular season to 41 percent in the postseason.
Yet given that he ranks ninth and second on the all-time lists for hits and home runs, respectively, in the postseason, the Astros can trust in Altuve's track record. In the event that he does start living up to it again, they'll have their table-setter back.