HOUSTON ASTROS NOTES:
World Series, Game 3: Tied at a game apiece, the 2022 World Series moves to Philadelphia tonight for a pivotal Game 3…tonight’s game features a pair of veteran hurlers with World Series experience in the Astros RHP Lance McCullers Jr. opposite the Phillies RHP Noah Syndergaard.
TIED AT 1-1: Including this season, the World Series has now been tied, 1-1, in 62 of 118 World Series…in the previous 61, the Game 2 winner has won the World Series 50.8% (31-of-61) of the time… this is the third time in five trips to the World Series that the Astros have been tied 1-1 after Game 2, following 2021 vs. the Braves (loss in six games) and 2017 vs. the Dodgers (win in seven games).
On the bump: The Astros dominated the regular season with 106 wins behind a string pitching staff that led the AL ERA (2.90), strikeouts (1,524), opponent average (.212), WHIP (1.09) and opponent OPS (.613)… the starters had the lowest ERA (2.95) among all AL rotations and their bullpen ERA (2.80) was the lowest in the Majors…the dominance has continued into the postseason, leading the Astros to an 8-1 record so far.
• the Astros pitching staff has posted a 2.18 ERA (22ER/91IP) with 111 strikeouts and a .186 opponent average this postseason…the Astros current postseason team ERA is the lowest posted by any team in a single postseason run (min. nine games) since the 1996 Braves worked to a 1.89 ERA in 16 games.
• the bullpen has a 0.89 ERA (4ER/40.2IP), while allowing just 19 hits and recording 50 strikeouts…their bullpen ERA is the lowest ever posted by any team in a single postseason run (min. 40 IP), besting the 1973 Athletics, who collected a 1.05 ERA (5ER/42.2IP) in 10 games.
HOMER HAPPY: The Astros have homered in all nine games this postseason, combining to hit 15 longballs among six players, including three apiece by 3B Alex Bregman, SS Jeremy Peña and RF Kyle Tucker…the Astros pitching staff has allowed just six homers this postseason, all solo shots.
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER: The Astros posted a dominant win in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday in Houston, topping the Phillies by a score of 5-2…LHP Framber Valdez (1ER/6.1IP) was great, allowing just four hits and striking out nine en route to the win…2B Jose Altuve (3×4) sparked the offense early, while 3B Alex Bregman (1×4, 2RBI) blasted a two-run homer in the 5th to cap the Astros scoring.
THE FRAMCHISE: With his nine-strikeout win in Game 2, LHP Framber Valdez reached a couple notable milestones…the victory gave Valdez six career postseason wins, which ties him with RHP Pedro Martinez for the most career postseason wins by a Dominican-born pitcher in Major League history…also, Valdez’s nine strikeouts tied a franchise record in a World Series game, matching RHP Justin Verlander (2017, Game 6) and RHP Gerrit Cole (2019, Game 5).
BLAST OFF!: In the 1st inning of Game 2, 2B Jose Altuve, SS Jeremy Peña and DH Yordan Alvarez all doubled within a span of four pitches…they became the first teammates in World Series history to start a game with three consecutive extra-base hits.
AT THE HELM: Astros Manager Dusty Baker ranks fourth all-time in postseason managerial wins with 48, including a 25-13 record in the postseason with the Astros…Baker has managed two other teams into the World Series (2002 Giants, 2021 Astros) and is looking for his first World Series Championship.
ALL-TIME MANAGER WINS LIST (POSTSEASON)
- Joe Torre 84-58 4. Dusty Baker 48-45
- Tony La Russa 71-61 5. Dave Roberts 45-35
- Bobby Cox 67-69
BIG GAME LANCE: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. has pitched in 18 career postseason games (11 starts), posting a 2-2 record with a save and a 2.77 ERA
(21ER/68.1IP)…he’s made three career appearances in Game 7s and has pitched in four other potential series clinching contests…each of his last three postseason starts have come in Astros clinchers, in Game 4 of the ALCS at NYY, Game 3 of the ALDS at SEA and in the 2021 ALDS at CWS, which were all road starts. the king: RHP Ryan Pressly is nine-for-nine in career postseason save opportunities, giving him the most postseason saves in Astros club history…this postseason, Pressly has not allowed an earned run in 7.1 innings, recording 10 strikeouts and converting all four save chances successfully.
99 AND COUNTING: 2B Jose Altuve has 99 career postseason hits and is looking to become just the sixth player in Major League history to reach 100 career postseason hits…Altuve reached the number 99 with a three-hit performance in Game 2, his ninth career three-hit game in the postseason.
ALL-TIME HITS IN THE POSTSEASON
- Derek Jeter 200 4. Jorge Posada 103
- Bernie Williams 128 5. Yadier Molina 102
- Manny Ramirez 117 6. Jose Altuve 99
The Hot Corner: 3B Alex Bregman has played six full seasons in the Majors (2017-22) and has advanced to at least the ALCS in every year, now
making four World Series appearances…he’s got 15 career postseason homers, including six in the World Series, both Major League records for a third baseman.
Postseason HR by 3B Postseason RBI by 3B
- Alex Bregman: 15 1. Alex Bregman: 45
- Justin Turner: 13 2. Justin Turner: 42
- Chipper Jones: 11 3. Chipper Jones: 39
TONIGHT’S ASTROS STARTER: RHP LANCE MCCULLERS JR.
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2022: 4-2 2.27 8 8 47.2 37 12 12 22 50
CAREER: 49-32 3.48 130 127 718.2 603 299 278 296 800
vs. PHI W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2022: 0-1 1.50 1 1 6.0 6 1 1 1 5
CAREER: 0-1 1.50 1 1 6.0 6 1 1 1 5
LAST START – 10/23, ALCS GAME 4 at NYY: struck out 6 in 5.0 innings in Astros AL pennant clinching 6-5 win…allowed 1 walk in 18th career postseason game.
ABOUT MCCULLERS JR.:McCullers Jr. missed the 2021 ALCS and 2021 World Series along with first 119 Astros games this season due to a right flexor tendon strain suffered while pitching in Game 4 of 2021 ALDS against CWS.
• was excellent after returning on Aug. 13…made 8 starts and posted a 2.27 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 47.2 innings.
PLAYOFF TESTED: will pitch in his 19th career playoff game and make his 12th career postseason start tonight…in his career in the postseason, has posted a 2.77 ERA across 68.1 innings with 75 strikeouts… has record a 2-2 playoff record while also earning a save…2022 will be 6th career postseason to pitch in.
• has excelled as a starter and reliever in postseason play, posting a 2.25 ERA as a reliever in 12.0 innings while pitching to a 2.88 ERA as a starter. • has pitched in 2 WS games, earning 1 win while striking out 6 and posting a 3.52 ERA….in 2017, pitched 4.0 scoreless innings in relief against NYY in Game 7 of ALCS, recording 6 strikeouts and a save…threw 24 straight curveballs to cap outing.
vs. PHI: has pitched against Phillies only once in career, earlier this season on 10/3…went 6.0 innings, allowing just 1 run and 1 walk despite Astros 3-0 loss…struck out 5 batters.
2021 SEASON RECAP: was best season as a pro, reaching career highs in wins (13), starts (28), innings (162.1) and strikeouts (185), while also posting the best ERA (3.16) and opp. BA (.205) of his career.
• among qualifying AL pitchers, finished season ranked 1st in opp. BA (.205), 1st in opp. OPS (.628) and 2nd in ERA (3.16)…also posted lowest HR per 9.0 (0.72) ratio and the highest ground ball perc. (56.9) in AL.
• allowed just 13 HRs in 162.1 innings…lowest HR/9IP ratio (0.72) in AL.
• held RHHs to a .188 (59×313) avg. and lefties to a .223 (63×283) mark.
• showcased a new slider, throwing it 23.9% of the time…threw pitch on 710 occasions, with opponents going 24×158 (.152) when they put it in play…still relied heavily on famous curveball (25%) and hard fastball (34%), while mixing in changeups (13.8%) and cutters (3.3%).
• named Astros Pitcher of the Year by BBWAA Houston Chapter.
HOMEBOY: has posted incredible career numbers at Minute Maid Park.
• among pitchers with 200IP, ranks 3rd in Minute Maid Park history in career ERA (2.67), trailing only RHP Justin Verlander (2.41), RHP Rogers Clemens (2.55)…went 6-3 with a 3.51 ERA in 16 home starts last season and went 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA this year.
MCCULLERS WITH THE ASTROS: the 2017 AL All-Star signed a long-term contract with the Astros on March 26, 2022…the 5-year deal will keep him in an Astros uniform through the 2026 season.
CAREER MLB SPLITS:
Home/MMP: 28-11, 2.67 ERA, 65G/GS, 115ER/387.2IP
Away: 21-21, 4.43 ERA, 65G/62GS, 163ER/331IP
YANKEE STADIUM: 1-0, 2.25 ERA, 2G/GS, 3ER/12IP
Day: 15-11, 3.85 ERA, 46G/43GS, 105ER/245.2IP
Night: 34-21, 3.29 ERA, 84G/GS, 173ER/473IP
Longest Win Streak: 5 (2x), last, 4/30/21-7/2/21
Longest Losing Streak: 4, 8/3/15-9/22/15
2022 SPLITS:
Home: 2-1, 1.50 ERA, 5G/GS, 5ER/30.0IP
Away: 2-1, 3.57 ERA, 3G/GS, 7ER/17.2IP
Day: —
Night: 4-2, 2.27 ERA, 8G/GS, 12ER/47.2IP
Longest Win Streak: 3, 9/02-9/21
Longest Losing Streak: 1 (2x), 8/18, 10/03
Career Complete Games: 1 Last CG: 6/3/15 vs. BAL
Career Shutouts: none Last SHO: none
CAREER MLB GAME-HIGHS: 2022 GAME-HIGHS:
Strikeouts: 12, 7/6/18 vs. CWS 11, 9/15 vs. OAK
Walks: 6 (2x), last, 4/11/18 at MIN 4 (3x), last, 9/15 vs. OAK
Hits: 9 (2x), last, 7/23/17 at BAL 7, 8/19 at ATL
Earned Runs: 8 (2x), last, 8/5/20 at ARI 3, 8/19 at ATL
Innings Pitched: 9.0 6/3/15 vs. BAL 7.0 (2x), last, 9/21 at TB
Low-Hit CG: 4, 6/3/15 vs. BAL none
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES NOTES:
GAME 2 RECAP: The Phillies fell to the Houston Astros, 5-2, at Minute Maid Park in Game 2 of the World Series … Starter Zack Wheeler (L, 1-2) went 5.0 innings and allowed 5 runs (4 ER) on 6 hits with 3 strikeouts and 3 walks … Andrew Bellatti (1.0 IP), Connor Brogdon (1.0 IP) and Brad Hand (1.0 IP) made scoreless appearances in relief of Wheeler.
YOU HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT: The Phillies have won all five postseason games at Citizens Bank Park this year … All-time in the postseason at CBP, the Phillies are 21-9 (.700 win %) with a +62 run differential (169-107) … Since Oct. 3, 2007, the day CBP hosted its first postseason game, Philadelphia’s .700 winning % during the postseason at home is best in MLB (min. 25 G) – the Red Sox at Fenway Park rank 2nd (.649), Astros at Minute Maid Park 3rd (.644), Giants at Oracle 4th (.643) and Dodgers at Dodger Stadium 5th (.623) … Per Elias, the Phillies are only the fourth team in MLB history to reach 20 wins in as few games at a home venue in the postseason, joining the Cardinals at Busch Stadium III (20-9, from 2006-13), Cardinals at Busch II (21-8, from 1967-1996) and the Mets at Shea Stadium (20-9, from 1969-2000) … Over their last 28 postseason games at CBP (since 10/1/08), the Phillies are 21-7 (.750 winning %).
PHILLY SPECIAL: In five postseason games at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies are slashing .351/.429/.676 with a 1.104 OPS in 42 plate appearances with runners in scoring position … Overall at home, in 180 plate appearances this postseason, the Phillies are slashing .296/.378/.597 with a .975 OPS and 12 home runs while averaging 7.0 runs per game (35 R).
WELCOME TO RED OCTOBER: The Phillies and Astros are facing off in the postseason for only the second time ever, the previous instance being the 1980 National League Championship Series, a best-of-five which Philadelphia won 3-2 … The Phillies and Astros last met earlier this month in the final series of the 2022 regular season, Oct. 3-5, 26 days ago … Per Elias, this World Series marks the first time that two clubs met in the World Series after playing their final series of the regular season against each other … The Astros have not been to Citizens Bank Park since July of 2017.
REMEMBER THE FIGHTINS: After starting the season 21-29, the Phillies went 66-46 the rest of the way to clinch their first postseason berth since 2011 … The Phillies are only the fifth team in major league history to start 21-29 or worse through their first 50 games and then make the World Series, joining the 2019 Washington Nationals (19-31 start), 2005 Houston Astros (18-32 start), 2003 Florida Marlins (21-29) and 1914 Boston Braves (20-30) … Since June 1 (regular and postseason combined), the Phillies are 76-49 with a .608 winning percentage that ranks 4th in MLB.
THREE MORE, THOMPER: The Phillies are National League champions for the eighth time in franchise history (1915, 1950, 1980, 1983, 1993, 2008, 2009, 2022) and three wins away from their third World Series title (1980, 2008) … At 10-3, Philadelphia’s 10 wins this postseason are most among all MLB clubs (next: HOU, 8) and their .769 winning percentage ranks 2nd among all MLB clubs in the postseason behind only Houston (8-1, .889).
WORLD SERIES IN SOUTH PHILLY: Tonight, the World Series returns to Philadelphia for the first time since November 2, 2009, in Game 5 against the New York Yankees, 12 years, 11 months and 29 days ago (4,746 days in total) … In that game, the Phillies won 8-6 as Chase Utley went 2-for-3 with 2 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI and a BB – David Robertson pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief for the Yankees, Rob Thomson was in his first year on the Yankees major league staff as third base coach and Kevin Long was in his third season as Yankees hitting coach… The Phillies are 4-2 in six World Series Games at Citizens Bank Park and are 9-11 all time in Philadelphia during the Fall Classic.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE: Through two games in the World Series, the Phillies have faced 332 total pitches thus far – of those 332, Kyle Schwarber (57) and rookie Bryson Stott (45) have seen 102 of them (30.7%) … Schwarber is averaging 6.33 pitches per plate appearance (9 PA) and Stott is averaging 6.43 (7 PA) … Pitch track data goes back to 1988, and since then, the only rookies with at least 20 plate appearances in a World Series to average greater than 4.50 pitches per plate appearance were Andruw Jones (5.00 P/PA in 20 PA) in 1996 and Buster Posey (4.57 P/PA in 21 PA) in 2010 … Stott saw 16 pitches in two plate appearances against Justin Verlander in Game 1, which included his second PA where he saw 10 before walking – he has two plate appearances in the World Series that have gone 10+ pitches, both resulting in walks – Game 1 against Verlander and Game 2 against Rafael Montero (12 pitches and a walk) … Per Elias, the only other rookie with a 10+ pitch walk in the World Series since 2000 is SF’s Joe Panik in 2014 vs KC.
YOU THE REAL MVP: Catcher J.T. Realmuto is up to 1246.2 innings behind the plate (regular and postseason combined) … Realmuto has caught 231.0 more innings than HOU’s Martin Maldonado who ranks 2nd among all MLB catchers at 1015.2 (almost 26 full 9-inning games) … In Game 1, Realmuto became the third player in franchise history to hit a go-ahead home run in the 9th inning or later in a postseason game, joining Lenny Dykstra (10/11/93 at ATL in Game 5 of NLCS) and George Vukovich (10/10/81 vs MTL in Game 4 of the NLDS) – Realmuto is the first Phillies player ever to do so in the World Series.
MR. OCTOBER: 2021 National League MVP Bryce Harper is slashing .392/.426/.804 in 55 plate appearances (13 G) this postseason … He is 20-for-51 at the plate with 11 extra-base hits (6 2B, 5 HR), 11 runs and 11 RBI … He has reached base safely in 12 games this postseason and had hit safely in a franchise-record 11 straight (.455 AVG, 10/8-28) … His 11 extra-base hits are the most in a single postseason in franchise history and rank T-6th all-time among MLB players in a single postseason (Randy Arozarena (2020 with TB) and David Freese (2011 with STL) hold the ML record with 14 XBH).
WIN ONE FOR THE TOPPER: On Oct. 10, the Phillies announced that Rob Thomson signed a two-year contract as manager for the 2023 and 2024 seasons … Thomson, the 56th manager in Phillies history, has been with the club since Dec. 5, 2017, when he was first hired as bench coach … Thomson, 59, took over a Phillies club that was 22-29 (.431 winning percentage) entering play on June 3 and guided them to a 65- 46 record (.586 winning percentage) and the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2011 … He is only the ninth instance and eighth manager to lead a team to a World Series after the club began the season with a different manager and the first since Jack McKeon in 2003 with the Marlins.
NOAH SYNDERGAARD • RHP #43
Height: 6-6 Weight: 230 Age: 30 (born: 8/29/92)
2022: 10-10, 3.94 ERA Career: 57-41, 3.38 ERA
TODAY’S START:
• Back in the Dance: Syndergaard is making his second career World Series start, nearly 7 years to the day of his first, in Game 3 of the 2015 World Series vs KC … He tossed 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO, and NYM won 9-3 … It is his 2nd start of the 2022 postseason – he delivered 3.0 IP of 1-run ball, with his only baserunner coming on a solo home run
• Taking the Stage: Syndergaard is 2-1 with a 2.30 ERA (7 ER, 31.0 IP), 1.02 WHIP (12 BB, 20 H), 40 SO (11.49 SO/9.0 IP) and 1 HR allowed in 8 career postseason games (5 starts) … Among all 44 active pitchers with at least 30.0 career IP in the postseason, his 2.30 ERA is 5th, behind Ian Anderson (1.26), Stephen Strasburg (1.46), Madison Bumgarner (2.20) and Kenley Jansen (2.20)
• Limiting Longballs: His 29.0-inning homerless streak to begin his postseason career (ended in his start on 10/15), was 4thlongest by any pitcher to make his postseason debut since 2000, trailing Cliff Lee (46.1), John Lackey (33.2), Ryan Vogelsong (32.1)
• A Little Relief: Syndergaard worked a scoreless 1.1 IP in relief in Game 4 of the NLCS and a scoreless IP in relief in Game 2 of the NLDS at ATL, … He has 6.1 scoreless IP in 5 career relief appearances in the regular and postseason (2 reg season, 3 postseason)
• In Game 4 of the NLDS, made his first postseason start since the Wild Card Game on 10/5/16 vs SF while pitching for NYM • Had a 14.0-inning postseason scoreless streak and 29.0-inning postseason homerless streak end in his start in Game 4 of the
NLCS HOME (REGULAR SEASON):
• 2022: 7-3, 3.47 ERA (31 ER, 80.1 IP) in 13 starts
• Career: 35-18, 3.33 ERA (174 ER, 469.2 IP) in 79 games (77 starts)
• CBP (Career): 5-3, 4.48 ERA (30 ER, 60.1 IP) in 11 starts 2022 SEASON:
• Began season with LAA and was acquired by PHI on 8/2 for OF Mickey Moniak and OF Jadiel Sanchez
• Pitched a 5.0-inning CG in his Phillies debut, 8/4 vs WSH
• Was the first Phillie to throw a CG in his Phillies debut since Cliff Lee on 7/31/09 at SF, and only the second Phillie since at least 1901 to throw a CG as short as 5.0 IP in his Phillies debut (other: Nino Espinosa, 4/8/79 at STL, tie)
• No Phillie had pitched a 5.0-inning CG since Cole Hamels on 6/11/06 vs NYM
• Was 3-0 with a 3.60 ERA (10 ER, 25.0 IP) in his first four starts with PHI, becoming the first Phillies midseason trade acquisition to go 3-0 or better with an ERA that low in his first four starts with the team since Cliff Lee in 2009 (4-0, 0.82 ERA)
• Made eight starts and was used in relief in his final appearance of the season on 9/21 vs TOR, his second career relief appearance (other: 5/31/16 vs CWS)
CAREER:
• Was a 2016 NL All-Star with NYM
• Recorded two 200-strikeout seasons (2016, 2019) and became the fastest Met to reach 500 career strikeouts (438.1 IP)
• Missed the 2020 season and made only two starts in 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery
• Has a 2.42 ERA (7 ER, 26.0 IP) with 36 strikeouts in 5 career postseason appearances (4 starts)
• Was originally selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1st round (No. 38 overall) of the 2010 MLB Draft
