The Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros will play Game 1 of the 2022 World Series Friday night at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Astros will fight for their second championship in the past six years and the second in franchise history, while the Phillies are looking to make it to the top for the first time since 2008 and the third in franchise history. MLB leaderboard.
The Astros swept the Yankees in the ALCS for the Fall Classic. Across the league, the Phillies beat the Padres in five games in the NLCS.
In this series, the Astros are the main event. That’s because Houston led Philadelphia by 19 games and 157 points during the regular season. Yes, the Phillies have a tougher schedule, as measured by their opponents’ average winning percentage, but that’s not enough to close the aforementioned gap. Likewise, the Astros have a longer break — they’ve played seven playoff games compared to 12 for Philly — and they have home-court advantage. That being said, baseball was built to defy expectations like that, and the Phillies have done a lot this October – defying expectations.
As for the outcome, your four CBS Sports MLB scribes and two editors are here to provide (theoretically) educated guesses on who will win the 2022 Fall Classic. Note that accuracy is not guaranteed or even encouraged.
2022 World Series Staff Picks
RJ Anderson: Over the course of four to seven games, anything can happen. I’ll pick the teams that are better in the regular season and pick them in the most games so I have reasonable deniability if/when I’m wrong. (Also I do think Houston is the better team.). Pick: Houston, seven; World Series MVP: Kyle Tucker.
Mike Axisa: I think the Astros are the better team, but if this postseason has shown us anything, it’s that the better team doesn’t always win the short series. The Phillies have two pillars in the rotation, a deeper, more comprehensive lineup than it thinks, and the perfect atmosphere. Similar to 2019, I expect a long, fun, and intense series that ends with NL East teams celebrating championships at Minute Maid Park. PICK: Phillies 7; World Series MVP: Kyle Schwaber.
Dane Perry: The Astros are the better team by any reasonable standard, and they’re better rested overall going into this series. That said, the difference in atmosphere between these two teams is almost immeasurable, and that’s what matters at this time of year. PICK: Phillies 7; World Series MVP: Zach Wheeler.
Matt Snyder: I don’t have much confidence in that. Astronauts are much better. They have more flair and depth. The Phillies are also in a special game, and I can’t shake the feeling that winning seven games in a row at the end of the Astros means the streak is coming. Then again, for most of this season, I’ve said the Phillies are the best team we’ve seen in a while. They could win the World Series, or they could lose 12 games in a row and miss the playoffs. It’s more likely that Philly will end the cold streak. I would choose Jose Altuve for the MVP. He started the playoffs 0-for-25 from the field, and he’s better than that. A slew of hit games are lurking around the corner. PICK: Astros Six; World Series MVP: Jose Artuf.
Stephen Pjanovic: At the start of these playoffs, I picked the Phillies to win the World Series. In the 20 days since, the Phillies have gone 9-2 to eliminate two division champions and another distraught darling. Bryce Harper has had his life rocked. Rhys Hoskins seems to have a fascinating new bat flip every game. Kyle Schwaber hits 488 feet. Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler both came up with zero after zero. Three of my colleagues are picking the Phillies based on vibe. Of course, the Astros are the more well-rounded team on paper, but you don’t need to be the Jose Altuve of 2017 to know what my predictions are about to happen. PICK: Phillies futsal; World Series MVP: Reece Hoskins.
Kate Feldman: The Astros are better than the Phillies in almost every measurable way, but there is no doubt in my mind that the Phillies will win the World Series. The resonance is simply too good. Bryce Harper will hit a 500-foot bomb in Game 4, Phanatic and Miles Teller will recreate scenes from Top Gun, the city will burn, and Rob Manfred’s metal sheet will Rise from the ashes. Men will cry, women will tell stories to grandchildren, the streets will be sprinkled with beer, and there will be a night of joy in the world. PICK: Phillies 6; World Series MVP: Bryce Harper.