After a crazy postseason, we are finally down to the last two teams in the MLB playoffs.
The World Series is set to get underway on Friday between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies.
This was a series that almost no one would predict before the playoffs started.
While the Astros were the best team in the AL, the Phillies snuck into the playoffs as the final NL Wild Card.
Despite both teams having different paths to this point, this series has a chance to be a great one.
Here are three players that will decide who comes out on top.
1. Aaron Nola
The Phillies have decided to go with Aaron Nola to start Game 1.
After what he did to the Astros at the end of the regular season this seems like a wise decision.
The last time the Astros lost a game was because of Nola’s 6.2 scoreless innings in Houston.
Aaron Nola is the World Series Game One starter for the @Phillies! He faced the Astros earlier this month and looked pretty good doing it! 😍
cc: @ceetwo35 @PhilliesNation @MattGelb pic.twitter.com/IxnaATPoO3— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) October 26, 2022
Now he returns to that same place hoping for a similar result.
Starting Game 1 means Nola will more than likely get two starts in this series if it goes far.
All the pressure is on Nola to pitch great and give the Phillies a chance to steal a game in Houston.
2. Jeremy Pena
The Astros have one of the best lineups in all of baseball.
They have proved that by going undefeated so far in the postseason.
What makes their lineup so scary is its depth.
The obvious names of Altuve, Alvarez, Tucker, and Bregman are all expected to play well.
But, it is rookie Jeremy Pena who could be the difference maker.
Jeremy Peña with a BLAST to put the Astros up 4-1 💣 pic.twitter.com/C3y93Eb8ji
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) October 20, 2022
Pena took home the ALCS MVP after hitting .353 with two home runs and four RBIs in four games.
If the rookie continues to produce at a high level, the Astros will be tough to beat.
3. Bryce Harper
The Phillies do not have the luxury of having six or seven consistent contributors in their lineup like the Astros.
So, that puts even more pressure on their best player, Bryce Harper, to produce.
No player has been better than Harper this postseason.
BRYCE HARPER IS A PHILADELPHIA PHILLIE pic.twitter.com/UjLTijwIqe
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 23, 2022
He dominated in each series and claimed NLCS MVP after batting .400 with two home runs and five RBIs.
This World Series is another great opportunity for Harper to add the one thing he is missing in his Hall-of-Fame career, becoming a world champion.
NEXT: Astros And Phillies Hope To Reverse A World Series Trend