The Washington Nationals are the 2019 National League champions and the first team to punch their ticket to the World Series. The Nationals have had an up and down season where many thought they wouldn’t come close to the playoffs. Caesar’s betting services in Las Vegas had the Nationals at a 0.01% chance of winning the world series after losing their star marketer Bryce Harper. 

Harper left the Nationals to sign a 13 yr/ $330 million dollar deal with the Philadelphia Phillies who ended up going 81-81 on the season. Ironically, during Harper’s first interview and introduction as a Phillie, he botched a comment stating that he wanted to bring a championship back to D.C. instead of Philly. 

The Nationals now have to go up against the American League champion Houston Astros in what should be a battle of the pitching staffs. The Nationals will be controlled by their power arms of Stephen Strasberg and Max Scherzer. Strasberg has been able to shut down opposing hitters this postseason allowing for the Nationals young bats of Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto to take control of the offense.

The Astros have quite possibly the hottest pitcher in the league, Gerrit Cole. Cole has been unstoppable this year winning his last 18 games and shutting down the league’s greatest offense, the New York Yankees. 

Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke stand behind Cole in the rotation making this World Series an eventual pitcher battle.