After a Season of Trial, the Astros Meet Dodgers in the World Series

At the beginning of every Major League Baseball (MLB) Season, every team has dreams of making it to the end of October to play in the World Series. As the days become shorter and the air becomes cooler baseball fans around the world tune in to watch two teams battle to see who will come out on top.
This years’ matchup features the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers. Both teams finished the regular season with 100+ wins and have had bumpy roads to reach this point.
The Astros finished the 2017 season with a record of 101-61. They went on to defeat the Boston Red Sox in the American League (AL) Divisional Series 3-1, and defeated the New York Yankees in the AL Conference Series 4-3 to advance to their first World Series since 2005.
The Los Angeles Dodgers finished the season with the second-best record in team history (104-58). They went on to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-0 in the National League (NL) Divisional Series, and defeated the Chicago Cubs in the NL Conference Series 4-1, to advance to the World Series for the first time in 29 years.
Each team has gone through adversity but, have ultimately arrived at this point, despite everything that has happened.
The Houston Astros have come full circle since being the worst team in baseball in 2013. That year, the Astros finished with a record of 51-111, and had many problems with the team. They finished the season with historical lows in the many statistical categories.
Despite these problems, there was some hope for the Astros. One player who has been with the team since these hard times, is infielder Jose Altuve. The current front runner for American League (AL) MVP, began his tenure with the Astros in 2011 and has helped the team become a force in the AL.
Significant events have occurred within the organization such as the dealing with the effects of Hurricane Harvey, and the signing of Justin Verlander, but it has all led to the culmination of reaching the World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been a consistent team. Although they have not reached the World Series since 1988, the team has won the Division every year since 2013. They finished the 2017 season with the best record in Major League Baseball, and are anchored by former MVP and 7-time all-star, Clayton Kershaw. As one of the major stars in the league, he has proven to be the rock which holds the team together.
The team has experienced adversity this season, most notably an 11-game losing streak while Kershaw was injured, but have managed to put together a stellar campaign behind a strapping bullpen, and stars such as Yasiel Puig, Corey Seager and 2017 NL Rookie of the Year, Cody Bellinger.
Many things have happened since the MLB season began back in April, but the journey has definitely been worth it for the Astros and Dodgers. By the beginning of November, one of these teams will raise the Commissioner’s Trophy and proudly call themselves MLB Champions.