The Houston Astros lost last year’s World Series to the Atlanta Braves in somewhat surprising fashion.
The situation back then was a bit different than this year, though.
Without Justin Verlander (and Lance McCullers Jr.), Framber Valdez was the team’s de facto ace.
Perhaps he wasn’t ready for the assignment from a mental perspective, but he was battered by the Braves offense last year.
With an extra season of experience under his belt, however, he vows that it won’t happen to him again.
Framber Valdez, the #Astros‘ Game 2 starter, believes that emotions got the best of him last year and is expecting a vast improvement. He was 0-1 with a 19.29 ERA in his two World Series starts last year against Atlanta,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale tweeted.
Framber Valdez, the #Astros‘ Game 2 starter, believes that emotions got the best of him last year and is expecting a vast improvement. He was 0-1 with a 19.29 ERA in his two World Series starts last year against Atlanta.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 28, 2022
The Philadelphia Phillies will be the Astros’ foe in the 2022 World Series, which starts on Friday night.
They are certainly capable of inflicting a lot of damage on any pitcher, including Verlander (tonight’s starter) and Valdez, who will take the ball in Game 2 on Saturday.
Valdez Is More Mature
Valdez, however, feels more calm and composed after last year’s fiasco.
This year, he has been brilliant both in the regular season and the playoffs.
In the former, he was 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA in 201.1 innings, with 194 punchouts and a 1.16 WHIP.
He has been even better since the calendar turned to the playoffs, with a 1.42 ERA in 12.2 innings.
Now that Verlander is back occupying the “staff ace” unofficial position, Valdez can return to that “1A” role that suited him so well in the regular season.
With those two at the top of the rotation making potentially four starts between them (if the series goes the distance), Houston will be in a great position to compete.
