World Series 2023: Latest Predictions from MLB Twitter Amid Playoff Race
The most wonderful time of the year for baseball fans is upon us as the American League and National League Championship Series kicks off Sunday with defending World Series champs the Houston Astros battling the Texas Rangers in the former.
in the latter, the Philadelphia Phillies defend their National League title against the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks starting Monday.
As is the case with every major sporting event, social media buzz is loud, with fans voicing their support for their teams and which match-ups they expect to see play out in the next few weeks.
Ahead of the start of the title series, here are what a few of them are saying and predicting.
The Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks will clash for the National League Championship in a match-up that everyone picked before the season started.
Or not.
Two sub-100-win teams will battle for the right to play in the World Series after eliminating arguably the two best squads in all of baseball. Despite being undefeated in this postseason and taking down the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers, the Diamondbacks still are finding little to no love from X (formerly Twitter) users.
Braves Fanatic @Basebal2210They won't beat the Astros or rangers in the World Series. Unfortunately I'm not sure the diamondbacks have the bats needed to beat them in the NLCS but I could be wrong
The Diamondbacks have been deceptively good offensively, though, scoring at least three runs in the first inning of their last two playoff games. Arizona has scored 30 runs in five postseason games, including 11 against Los Angeles in the opening game of the NLDS.
In comparison, the Phillies scored 32 runs in the playoffs to this point.
Corbin Carroll and Co. can absolutely swing the bat with the Phils and turn this series into an offensive explosion. Still, that does not stop some from questioning the validity of their run.
John C. Davenport @johncdavenportI think whoever wins Astros-Rangers will win the World Series. Phillies can be had (as Astros proved last year) and D'backs are a fluke.
One user, basing his pick for the NLCS off of little more than juju, has the D'backs playing in the World Series. And losing.
The Real J Sanders @teslabusdriverPhillies played the Astros last series of the regular season last year and met back up in the World Series…..this year Arizona played Houston last series of the regular season and they will meet up in the fall classic. Astros in 6
Rob Friedman, known to over 400,000 as Pitching Ninja, loves the Phillies lineup and is struggling to a find a weakness with the defending NL champions.
FanDuel TV @FanDuelTV"I don't see many weaknesses with the Phillies right now… They may be the best team, period." ��@PitchingNinja breaks down the Phillies postseason as they advance to NLCS vs. Diamondbacks on Covering The Spread with @JimSannes@FanDuel | @FDSportsbookpic.twitter.com/4ZkofCvWcv
Big hits, crooked numbers on the scoreboard, and a ton of energy from the Philadelphia fans should be expected from this series. Ultimately, the winner may be determined by the starting rotation that shows up.
Zac Gallen and Merill Kelly make for a solid one-two punch while the Phils' rotation has been here and done this before. They have been in this moment, experienced the pressure, and know how to overcome it.
The question is whether they can stifle Arizona's bats long enough to put up just one more run than the surging, young, energetic squad. If so, as they did with Atlanta, the Phillies will return to the Fall Classic.
It is almost apropos that the rivalry over the AL West crown that came down to the very last day of the regular season ultimately decides who will represent the American League in this year's World Series.
So much so that one user thinks MLB should just forego the championship series and make the AL best-of-seven the World Series.
Kyler Wagaman @kylerwagaman5Rangers vs Astros should just be the World Series
The Houston Astros have a 9-4 record against the Rangers in 2023, bested them for the division championship, and are the defending World Series champions.
Perhaps it is the controversy surrounding their win in 2017, or the fact that they are a dynastic squad in the midst of their seventh, consecutive appearance in the ALCS, but the Astros are far from respected by both social media pundits and oddsmakers.
Yahoo Sports MLB @MLByahoosportsNew World Series favorites ��
The Rangers are a win away from their first ALCS since 2011. pic.twitter.com/Ju4XHiAAEF
Not only are the Rangers red-hot after dispatching of the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles, arguably the two best teams in the American League for a large portion of the regular season, but the prospect of Max Scherzer being healthy enough to play in the ALCS has something thinking the veteran ace may be the difference maker.
Jake Marotz @jakemarotzIf Max Scherzer can come back and pitch like Max Scherzer, the Rangers are going to win the World Series. https://t.co/m2aKy7xagl
Scherzer is recovering from a strained teres major muscle in his right shoulder. The idea of the future Hall of Famer pitching in the ALCS is not guaranteed but given his history, there is reason to be excited if you are a Rangers fan.
There is also reason to be cautious, too.
He has an ERA of 3.77 in 2023, has been hit hard and far by batters, and gave up 28 home runs. He has also walked 45 batters.
While he still has solid stuff, his command has been an issue this season and if he cannot keep the ball where he wants it against a heavy-hitting Astros squad, it could make for a nightmare scenario for the Rangers.
The last time Scherzer started against Houston, back on September 6, he gave up seven earned runs and three home runs. That is not at all what you want to happen in a high-stakes playoff game.
Regardless of the pundits, the oddsmakers, or who is on the mound for the Rangers, there are some who are certain the defending champs are about to make it two in a row.
Kakarot @ATLB_LoweThe Astros are about to win the World Series again
PoeticGenius916 @CMont916I don't watch baseball once the Braves are out, at all. But the Astros are winning the World Series, over Philadelphia, again.
The Astros are certainly capable of running back, thanks to big performances from Yordan Alvarez and Jose Abreu at the plate. Sprinkle in Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Kyle Tucker and this is a Houston lineup that can slug with anyone in the league.
There will be a large portion of baseball fans who want nothing to do with the Astros winning another ring but they are battle-tested, know what it takes to get where every team in the league wants to be, and are about to show that on the grand stage that is the MLB postseason.
