The 2019 World Series gets underway this week. It is the 115th edition and it is all that baseball fans will be talking about for the next couple of weeks. The best-of-seven play-off this year is between the Houston Astros, champions of the American League, and the National League champions the Washington Nationals with the Astros hot favourites to collect the Commissioner’s Trophy in the Fall Classic.
You could say that the two teams have taken different paths to the World Series.
Washington Nationals – Path to the World Series
The Nationals had to come from behind to beat the Brewers in the National League Wild Card Game and they then then won the final two games of their match-up with the top seeded Dodgers before a crushing defeat of the Central Division champion the Cardinals.
That shows a resilience few thought them capable of but they have had to work hard to reach the World Series for the first time in their 50-year history and taken that additional step is going to be a warm order against a Houston team that won baseball’s biggest prize as recently as 2017.
| World Series Winners Since 1990 | |||
| SEASON | WINNER | LOSER | SERIES |
| 2018 | Boston Red Sox | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-1 |
| 2017 | Houston Astros | Los Angeles Dodgers | 4-3 |
| 2016 | Chicago Cubs | Cleveland Indians | 4-3 |
| 2015 | Kansas City Royals | New York Mets | 4-1 |
| 2014 | San Francisco Giants | Kansas City Royals | 4-3 |
| 2013 | Boston Red Sox | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-2 |
| 2012 | San Francisco Giants | Detroit Tigers | 4-0 |
| 2011 | St. Louis Cardinals | Texas Rangers | 4-3 |
| 2010 | San Francisco Giants | Texas Rangers | 4-1 |
| 2009 | New York Yankees | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-2 |
| 2008 | Philadelphia Phillies | Tampa Bay Rays | 4-1 |
| 2007 | Boston Red Sox | Colorado Rockies | 4-0 |
| 2006 | St. Louis Cardinals | Detroit Tigers | 4-1 |
| 2005 | Chicago White Sox | Houston Astros | 4-0 |
| 2004 | Boston Red Sox | St. Louis Cardinals | 4-0 |
| 2003 | Florida Marlins | New York Yankees | 4-2 |
| 2002 | Anaheim Angels | San Francisco Giants | 4-3 |
| 2001 | Arizona Diamondbacks | New York Yankees | 4-3 |
| 2000 | New York Yankees | New York Mets | 4-1 |
| 1999 | New York Yankees | Atlanta Braves | 4-0 |
| 1998 | New York Yankees | San Diego Padres | 4-0 |
| 1997 | Florida Marlins | Cleveland Indians | 4-3 |
| 1996 | New York Yankees | Atlanta Braves | 4-2 |
| 1995 | Atlanta Braves | Cleveland Indians | 4-2 |
| 1993 | Toronto Blue Jays | Philadelphia Phillies | 4-2 |
| 1992 | Toronto Blue Jays | Atlanta Braves | 4-2 |
| 1991 | Minnesota Twins | Atlanta Braves | 4-3 |
| 1990 | Cincinnati Reds | Oakland Athletics | 4-0 |
Houston Astros – Path to the World Series
The Astros had the Major League’s best record in the regular season, going 107-55. They made hard work of beating the Rays post-season and then lost the first game of their decider with the Yankees but still made it through to the World Series with a game to spare.
Houston will have home-field advantage and boast a better than 75 per cent win rate at Minute Maid Park this season. Both teams have strong pitching options so the upcoming games are unlikely to produce big scores but the Astros appear to have the trump card in Jose Altuve. His early season was blighted by injury but he has been making up for lost time since, hitting 20 home runs in the regular season and five post season.
It’s very difficult to see the Nationals winning any of four possible games at Minute Maid Park but you can envisage the Astros stealing at least one victory in DC. Three of the last five World Series have gone the distance but Houston can finish off the Nationals ahead of schedule. Houston Astros to win 4-2 in Correct Score betting is 16/5 with William Hill.
