Houston Astros: Justin Verlander is their best shot at taking home the World Series

The Houston Astros are one win away from becoming the 2017 World Series champions, as Sports Illustrated notoriously predicted in 2014.

The Houston Astros needed to grab a second ace at the trade deadline. They didn’t get one. One month later at the waiver deadline, they added Justin Verlander to their rotation as the clock wound down. Now Verlander has a chance to give Houston something they have never experienced: a World Series championship.

With Houston up three games to two, the Series shifts back to Los Angeles, where Yasiel Puig has guaranteed a Game 7. The Astros will be sending their late-season acquisition to the mound, while the Dodgers will counter with a well-rested Rich Hill.

With Verlander on the mound in this pivotal game, the Astros have their best chance at clinching the Series – one way or another.

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The former Tiger has made 20 career postseason starts (21 appearances) and has a habit of throwing a whole hell of a lot of pitches in those starts. From 2012 to 2014 with the Tigers, he averaged 115 pitches per start across eight outings. This October he threw 99 in his start against Boston, then another 40 in relief in that same series, 124 and 99 against the Yankees across 16 innings and another 79 in his lone start of this World Series.

While A.J. Hinch hasn’t been maxing out his ace, it’s certainly feasible that he will keep him in until his arm literally falls off as he joins in the Halloween fun. While the best plan of action for the Dodgers would be to work the count against Verlander, he’s perfectly capable of tossing 130 or so pitches when a World Series title isn’t on the line. Seemingly no matter the circumstances, he’ll be in the game late.

No matter the circumstance you say? Boy this writer (Jason, pleased to meet you!) is an idiot.

If the Astros hold a lead, you really think they’re going to want to turn this over to their bullpen? Have you seen their bullpen this series?

And what if Verlander is getting shelled? Keep him in, of course!  This happens all the time when a pitcher has to take one for the team to conserve the bullpen. What’s more important in a potential Game 6 blowout: Keeping the runaway train from running further away, or conserving the bullpen and giving your best arms another day of rest ahead of the biggest game of the season?

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While neither team’s bullpen has been particularly great this Fall Classic, getting his guys an extra day of rest would set up the ‘Stros for the final showdown, should it come to that. Dave Roberts and the Dodger faithful are likely hoping to get six innings from Hill, which would still leave nine outs remaining for an already exhausted bullpen.

And with his team down a game, Roberts can’t necessarily turn to his “other” bullpen arms like Brandon McCarthy or Josh Fields – both of whom have been hit around in limited work this Series – because they have to pull out a win here to force a Game 7. That would presumably mean that the big arms (Kenley Jansen, Brandon Marrow and potentially Kenta Maeda) are going to have to hope to gut out two more appearances if they hope to win this thing.

With all of this in mind, Justin Verlander, one way or another, is the Astros ticket to glory.