The fall classic matchup it set. Who should Detroit Tigers fans root for?
Well, we’re finally here. The 2022 World Series is set, and there’s no shortage of storylines for Detroit Tigers fans.
This year’s battle for the Commissioner’s trophy sees the Philadelphia Phillies taking on the Houston Astros. Both teams have Detroit Tigers ties. But before we dive into the matchup, let’s see what happened to the other teams in the league championship series.
New York Yankees—Another season of falling short of lofty goals in the Bronx. They really never even threatened the Astros at any point in the series. With Aaron Judge set to become a free agent, it could be a long offseason in New York.
San Diego Padres—They had finally exercised their demos and beat the Dodgers. The sky was the limit for them. Nothing could stop them now—except for the Phillies. Their pitching staff just couldn’t hold up against that vaunted Phillies’ lineup. The all-in push to get Juan Soto and Josh Hader only got them to the NLCS. What a shame.
All right, it’s time to go over the World Series matchup. Who should Detroit Tigers fans root for?
Matchup
Philadelphia Phillies
87-75
Houston Astros
106-56
The Phillies have got here through the magic of Dave Dombrowski. This is the fourth different team he’s taken to the World Series, and it’s a classic Dombrowski team, complete with a stacked lineup, solid starting rotation, and shaky bullpen. Say what you will about his methods, but he gets the job done.
The Astros are still playing the role of the league’s villain—and playing it quite well. They won 106 games in the regular season and have cakewalked their way to the World Series, going 7-0 in the postseason thus far.
As far as ties to the Tigers, Justin Verlander is still the ace of Houston’s pitching staff. The 39-year-old has had an up-and-down postseason so far, but he’s a threat to shut down any lineup at any point. He’s probably starting game 1.
Other than Dombrowski, former Tiger Nick Castellanos also plays for the Phillies. He is seeking his first ring.
This is another matchup this postseason where one could root for either team. I imagine most fans don’t like the Astros, but still like Verlander, so they want to seem to get another ring. I know a lot of fans still like Dombrowski as well, although there are also some that don’t want to see him his second World Series since leaving the Tigers.
Either way, a former Tiger is going to win the World Series. If you’re still not over the Astros cheating in 2017, root for the Phillies. If you still like Dombrowski, root for the Phillies. If you want to see Verlander get another ring, root for the Astros.