Phillies Vs. Astros World Series Preview: Schedule, Tickets, Odds

PHILADELPHIA, PA — When Ranger Suarez induced a pop fly that fell into the glove of Nick Castellanos Sunday night, the Phillies clinched their eighth National League pennant in franchise history. They'll face the juggenaut of the American League, the thus-far undefeated in the playoffs Houston Astros, in the World Series.

First pitch is Friday night.

This pennant is perhaps the most stunning and improbable in franchise history. The Phillies have had a few of those. Not many saw it coming in 2008 when the Phillies took down the Los Angeles Dodgers, and eventually the Tampa Bay Rays, to win it all. No one saw it coming in 1993, when an oddball crew of veterans having career years upended the defending league champion Atlanta Braves.

Somehow, the 2022 Fightins may have left the baseball world even more stupefied than that motley crue of Dykstras and Daultons, Kruks and Schillings, from almost three decades ago.

Dispatches from the NCLS: Bryce Harper's Shot Heard Around The World

One of the slogans of that 1993 crew was "Whatever it takes, dude!" The 2022 team has their own version, something that Bryce Harper has been repeating since their magic run began in St. Louis more than two weeks ago. It's repeated in the clubhouse in what sounds like a Zen manta, a chant that has whispered legend into reality:

"We're not losing."

Schedule, television, tickets

The Phillies and Astros will play a best of seven series to determine the world champion. As with all of their series so far, the first two games will be away for the Phillies. Friday and Saturday are in Houston, before the World Series returns to Philadelphia next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Here's the full schedule:

Game 1: Friday, Oct. 28 at 8:03 p.m., on Fox, in Houston

Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 29 at 8:03 p.m., on Fox, in Houston

Game 3: Monday, Oct. 31 at 8:03 p.m., on Fox, in Philadelphia

Game 4: Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 8:03 p.m., on Fox, in Philadelphia

Game 5: Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 8:03 p.m., on Fox, in Philadelphia

Game 6: Friday, Nov. 4 at 8:03 p.m., on Fox, in Houston

Game 7: Saturday, Nov. 5 at 8:03 p.m., on Fox, in Houston

Tickets to the home games in Philadelphia are on sale. Tickets for Game 3, the first game in Philadelphia on Halloween night, start at $1,080 on Stubhub. They're also available on the Phillies official site.

How they got here

The Phillies have had a 9-2 run through the best teams in the National League to get to the World Series. Each series has been an upset victory in which their opponent had home field advantage. They swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card round, 2-0, beat the Atlanta Braves in the divisional series, 3-1, and then knocked off the Padres 4-1 to win the National League crown.

The Astros had the best record in the American League, so they had a bye in the first round. They proceeded to sweep the Seattle Mariners 3-0 and the New York Yankees 4-0 to advance to the World Series. They've been a favored pick to win it all since last year. This is their 3rd World Series appearance in the last 4 years.

Patch correctly predicted a big Phillies upset in all three playoff series so far (including the exact series result in both the Wild Card and NLDS).

Likely matchups

Neither team has announced their starting pitching lineup yet, but with both clubs going into Game 1 fully rested, it isn't hard to predict. The Phillies will get a slate of Astros aces, headlined by future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander.

Game 1: Zack Wheeler vs. Justin Verlander

Game 2: Aaron Nola vs. Framber Valdez

Game 3: Ranger Suarez vs. Cristian Javier

Game 4: Noah Syndergaard vs. Lance McCullers

Game 5: Wheeler vs. Verlander (if neccessary)

Game 6: Nola vs. Valdez (if neccessary)

Game 7: Suarez vs. Javier (if neccessary)

Analysis

Fans may remember that these two teams met up on a very memorable occassion earlier this month. Aaron Nola's near-perfect gem in Houston in the final series of the regular season clinched their playoff berth, snapping their 11-year drought. The celebration in the dugout was raucous.

RELATED: Phillies Snap 11 Year Playoff Drought With Epic Win

They've had three playoff series victories to celebrate in the weeks since.

The Astros present the most formidable challenge yet for the Phillies. Not only did they have the best regular season record of any team in baseball besides the Dodgers — they were 106 wins and 56 losses to the Phillies' 87 wins and 75 losses — but they're just as red hot as the Phillies entering the World Series. They're undefeated in the postseason thus far.

Positionally, the Astros have a clear advantage at second base (Jose Altuve), third base (Alex Bregman), and right field (Kyle Tucker). The Phillies have the clear advantage at catcher (J.T. Realmuto), designated hitter (Bryce Harper), center field (Brandon Marsh), and, this postseason at least, first base (Rhys Hoskins). Things are more muddled in left field (Phillies super slugger Kyle Schwarber against Yordan Alvarez, who may be the best hitter on the planet), shortstop (a battle between a pair of fledgling rookies in Jeremy Pena and Bryson Stott).

The Astros have a deeper bullpen, and a deeper starting rotation. But so has every other team the Phillies have faced in the postseason thus far. It hasn't mattered. There are only so many pitchers that can take the mound in a seven-game series. And the Phillies 1-2 punch of Wheeler and Nola lines up with anyone, even the mighty Astros.

Patch prediction: Verlander is fallible after all, and Wheeler and the Phils take a razor close pitching match up in Game 1. Nola is great in Game 2 but the Astros win another nail-biter. The Phils take two of three slugfests back home before winning their third world title in franchise history in Game 6 in Houston.

Odds and predictions

For the fourth straight playoff series, the Phillies are major underdogs. Now they're hungry dogs, too.

Oddshark has the Astros at minus 170 favorites. The Phillies are plus 140 underdogs.

For context, the Padres were minus 125 favorites over the Phillies. For further context, the Braves were minus 200 favorites. For even more context, the Cardinals were minus 140 favorites. We know how those stories ended.

FiveThirtyEight's various divinations and arithmetic dervishes give the Astros a 67 percent chance of winning.

Predictions from analysts are starting to trickle in. Some are calling for an upset. FanDuel's writers see the Phillies winning 4-3. Most favor the Astros. ESPN's Jeff Passan acknowledges the Phillies epic run but speculates at a perfect postseason for the Astros, implying a 4-0 World Series sweep.

For the Phillies, like J.T. Realmuto told reporters after the series victory over the Cardinals, "I can promise you that not one person in that clubhouse is surprised at what we're doing."

Four more wins to go.