Houston Astors’ Won the MLB World Series 2022
After it was discovered that the 2017 championship had occurred during a season when the Astros had engaged in an illegal sign-stealing scheme, the Houston Astros quickly climbed back to the top three years with a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6.
This victory bequeathed the team its second World Series championship in 61 years.
Until the sixth inning, Houston and Philadelphia were locked in a pitchers’ duel. Kyle Schwarber’s solo blast in left-center gave the Phillies the lead.
Later, left fielder Yordan Alvarez hit a 450-foot home slam with three runs on it to deep center field, giving the Astros a decisive advantage. After starting pitcher Framber Valdez, who pitched six innings for the win, the Astros used several relievers to close out the game.
Dusty Baker, the manager of the Houston Astros, who is 73 years old and has managed 25 big league seasons and three World Series appearances, receives his first championship ring due to the victory. By 2022, Baker will have overseen 3,884 major league regular season games and won 2,093.
The Astros made their fourth World Series appearance in the previous six seasons, and since their last championship, both the squad and the organization had seen a lot of change.
When media revelations and an MLB investigation in late 2019 revealed the specifics of their cheating strategy, many people outside the Astros fan base now see their 2017 victory as tainted.
The majority of the players on that 2017 roster, who are either retired or currently playing elsewhere in MLB, were spared punishment by the league.
After previous managers A.J. Hinch and Jeff Luhnow were sacked due to the cheating incident, Baker and general manager James Click were appointed in 2020. Only five players from that first championship squad are still active: pitchers Lance McCullers and Justin Verlander, first baseman Yuli Gurriel Jr., third baseman Alex Bregman, second baseman Jose Altuve, and second baseman Alex Bregman.
Since then, the Astros have lost center fielder George Springer, shortstop Carlos Correa, and pitcher Gerrit Cole to free agency. Cole played for the team in 2018 and 2019.
The Astros, especially Jeremy Pea, who took over at shortstop after Carlos Correa signed with the Twins in March 2022, depended on young players to help them win this World Series triumph.
Both left-handed starter Valdez and 25-year-old Cristian Javier, who pitched six outstanding innings in a combined no-hitter in Game 4, made significant contributions for Houston.
The Phillies’ season had ended on a night when they were limited to only three hits as a club and mustered one further baserunner after the sixth inning.
With 106 victories during the regular season, the Astros secured first place in the American League. The Phillies benefited from MLB’s new enhanced postseason system, which saw the field of competitors swell from 10 to 12. Yet by forcing the Astros to a six-game Series, they showed that they weren’t just a Cinderella team that happened to make the World Series by accident.
The Astros, on the other hand, played like a buzzsaw throughout the regular season. They decided not to re-sign Correa and instead inserted Peña into the infield, appearing unfazed and untouched by their World Series defeat to Atlanta in 2021.
They have the finest pitching staff overall in the team’s history, anchored by 39-year-old ace Justin Verlander, who is the favorite to win the American League Cy Young award in his first season following Tommy John surgery.
In 2022, Houston threw two combined no-hitters, one of which came in a late-June game against the New York Yankees. To go to the World Series again, they first swept the Yankees in the ALCS before sweeping the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.
Yet, the future of Houston is not decided by the championship. Baker and Click are not currently under contract for the 2023 season, despite their accomplishments over three years with the team.
