Tomorrow: The 2021 World Series begins

While we await the beginning of the 2018 season, we figure it wouldn’t be a bad idea to look three years into the future.

(… hopes we’re not dead yet)

Nope, we’re good!

Welcome to 2021, where the Phillies are in the World Series against the 2017 and 2019 world champion Houston Astros. The ‘stros hope to parlay their Odd Year Magic into a third title, while the Phils are in the World Series for the first time since 2009. They made the playoffs in 2020, beating the wild-card-winning Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series before dropping the League Championship Series to the Damn St. Louis Cardinals.

But this year they came back with a vengeance, beating the Brewers in the LDS and Braves in the LCS.

Now it’s time for the World Series. Phillies vs. Astros.

(Also, we have Manny Machado, Mike Trout, Marcus Stroman and Carlos Carrasco now).

Tomorrow, we’ll start recapping the 2021 World Series, because we absolutely know what will happen then. As a primer, here are your starting lineups for Game 1 in Philadelphia:

Houston Astros (94-68)

1. CF Gilberto Celestino
2. 2B Jose Altuve
3. SS Carlos Correa
4. RF Kyle Tucker
5. 3B Alex Bregman
6. LF Derek Fisher
7. 1B Justin Smoak
8. C Yan Gomes
9. SP Dallas Keuchel

(Yes, we’re imagining Keuchel and Altuve stay with the Astros. Also they move on from George Springer.)

Philadelphia Phillies (95-67)

1. 2B Scott Kingery
2. SS J.P. Crawford
3. CF Mike Trout
4. 3B Manny Machado
5. 1B Rhys Hoskins
6. LF Odubel Herrera
7. RF Adam Haseley
8. C Jorge Alfaro
9. SP Marcus Stroman

(We also imagine here that the Phils move Hoskins back to first after Carlos Santana leaves. And, look, Machado and Trout!)

Game 1 is tomorrow.