If Monday night’s downpour could play as fortuitously for the Phillies as it did for the 2016 Chicago Cubs, the Astros may be in some trouble.
It may seem like a stretch, but the clouds opening up on Monday may have opened up a chance for the Phillies to take a serious advantage in this World Series. Instead of Noah Syndergaard pitching in Game 3 of the series, who hasn’t thrown more than three innings in a game in one month, the Phillies can now turn to Ranger Suarez.
Suarez has been one of the most reliable arms for the Phillies during this run, and the postponement of Monday’s game allowed for Suarez to get three full days of rest following his relief appearance on Friday. For Houston, the rotation will remain the same as we still expect to see Lance McCullers Jr. in Game 3, Christian Javier in Game 4 and Justin Verlander back on the mound for Game 5.
This is where the Phillies are seeing the advantage. Because of the one day delay of every game, there is a chance Aaron Nola gets to start Game 4 as he will be on four days rest, while Zack Wheeler could potentially start Game 5. There is no guarantee that happens, and maybe manager Rob Thomson does spot start Noah Syndergaard and hope to piece together one of either Game 4 or 5, but the postponement gives the Phils more options.
Wheeler has been more effective on full rest or even extended rest in his career, and that could certainly effect the decision making process of Thomson and the Phillies’ staff. However, the extension of this series could now allow for the two aces of the Phillies’ rotation, the two pitchers that helped carry the team to the World Series, to each have two starts in the first five games of the series. That is a massive advantage for Philadelphia and a major problem for Houston.
Although Houston was able to handle both Nola and Wheeler in the first two games of the series, going into Philadelphia and having to face the opposition’s three best starters was not something the Astros could have forecasted at the onset of the World Series. However, due to conditions outside of anyone’s control, this could now be the case, and I’m sure nobody is running to the bat rack in order to face either of these two horses. In fact, it was just under a month ago when Nola went into Houston and allowed just two hits, no earned runs, no walks and nine strikeouts in what was the postseason clinching win for the Phillies.
Now, if we are being totally honest here… this is still Houston’s series to take. They are the deeper, more talented, better overall club. They have a roster chalk full of professional hitters, highly capable defenders and top-tier arms. All of these have been on full display in both games, and if it were not for J.T Realmuto’s performance in Game 1, we may be talking about a completely different series.
But, with the Phillies stealing Game 1 and now receiving a bonus rest day for their top end arms, the Astros are looking at a series that is seriously in danger. The rain has allowed for the Phillies to mask their rotational depth issues, and with that being one of the main strengths of Houston, you could make the argument that Monday’s precipitation could be much more vital to this series than either of the first two games.
If we take it back to Cleveland circa November 2016, we might all remember what a little rain did in that series, as well. The Cubs lost a late-inning lead after a Rajai Davis game-tying homer, and all of the momentum was in favor of Cleveland. Anyone watching that game could feel it, and it almost seemed inevitable that Cleveland would utilize their immense pitching depth, shut down the Cubs, and ride the momentous wave to walk-off a World Series title.
Then came the rain. After a nearly 20-minute delay, the energy seemed different. The Cubs looked more relaxed and the pain that they were wearing on their faces just an inning prior was replaced with a look of confidence and eagerness. Meanwhile, that same energy that Cleveland possessed just a mere inning before was no longer as obvious, and the momentum had all of the sudden disappeared. Next thing you know, there was a ground ball to Kris Bryant that was thrown to first, and it clinched the first World Series championship for the Cubs in 108 years.
Was that rain a sign from the Baseball Gods? The world may never know, but without it, there is certainly a chance that the Cubs may still be searching to end the drought. The rain on Monday could both stunt the vibe following a Game 2 victory for Houston while propelling the confidence of an undermanned Philadelphia club. It’s plausible that Monday’s rain in Philadelphia may play just as big of a role as the droplets seen in Cleveland 6 years ago.
I wrote late last week about the idea of destiny, and how this year’s Philadelphia Phillies embody that principle. I’m not saying rain is necessarily a miracle, but in this circumstance, it might have come at just the right time for a destined team looking to take down a dynasty.
Tuesday night’s Game 3 is the most important game of the World Series so far, and historically, when the World Series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 wins the series 65% of the time. Instead of Noah Syndergaard, the Phillies will take the field following their trusted lefty, the same guy who has been called upon in numerous vital moments this postseason, including Friday night. The Phils have been blessed with an advantage moving forward that gives them a legitimate chance to win this series, even potentially never letting it go back to Houston. The question is, can they take advantage of it?
