By Dylan Weaver

In the grand conclusion of the 2022 Major League Baseball (MLB) season, a matchup that featured the American League monsters of the Houston Astros and the fan-favorite Philadelphia Phillies ended with the Astros emerging victorious in the 2022 MLB World Series. In a best-of-seven-game series, the Astros took it with a 4-2 record and finished the Phillies’ chance by not going to a decisive game seven. 

In each team’s journey to the World Series, there can be two tales told. For the Astros, who secured the number one American League seed before the start of the postseason, they went on to sweep each opponent of the Seattle Mariners 3-0 in the Divisional Series and the New York Yankees 4-0 in the Championship Series en route to the World Series. 

The Phillies did it a little bit differently as they came into the postseason as the sixth and last seed available to make it. In their efforts, the Phillies won the Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0, the Divisional Series against the Atlanta Braves 3-1, and the Championship Series against the San Diego Padres 4-1. It had no bearing on their fight for a chance at the trophy as they battled their way through all three levels of the playoffs.

While the paths to the World Series were much different, it had no effect as each game of the World Series was always a question as to who would be the hot team on the day. The Houston Astros’ pitching was especially prevalent in that regard, as in game three, their pitching staff combined for a no-hitter to be just the second World Series no-hitter in history.

Jeremy Pena, the rookie shortstop of the Astros, was awarded the World Series MVP award and did so right after winning the ALCS MVP award. Manager Dusty Baker also collected his first World Series ring and, to his name, sets the record as the oldest manager to ever win the World Series at 73 years old.

This comes as the second World Series Title in Houston Astros history and comes just five years after the Astros also won the World Series in 2017 versus the Los Angeles Dodgers.