The 2022 season came to a close as a new champion was crowned at the World Series.

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The #1 team isn't the team that finished #1 in the final regular season rankings.

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In the end, the team left standing in the end is the Houston Astros. The Astros was the #2 team overall behind baseball's best regular season team in the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were the AL's top team after they outplayed the first-half's best in the New York Yankees. After a up and down start, the Astros got it together and became a complete team. They were a dominant second-half team and consistency stayed in the Top 5. They were the first team to clinch a postseason spot. They earned the #1 seed in the AL bracket and a first-round bye. In the postseason, they outlasted the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series and dominated the New York Yankees in sweeping fashion. In the World Series, they showed why they were the best against a hot Philadelphia Phillies team in six games for the title. Their pitching staff took over when they needed them the most, as the offense ran through some rough patches (only to deliver when needed). The combined no-hitter was amazing in Game 4 after being barraged by the Phillies' bats. They went 11-2 in the postseason. The title was well-deserved without controversy. 

 

Speaking of the Phillies: they took advantage of the expanded postseason format (and the expanded power rankings) by being the last team to get into the picture. They were the #6 seed in the NL bracket. They got hot at the right time as they outplayed the NL Central winners in the #3 St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild-Card round. In the Division Series, they surprised last year's World Series Champion Atlanta Braves. As it was looked forward to of baseball's best team in the LCS, it was the #5 San Diego Padres that met the Phillies. The Phillies shined against the #5 seed in five games to win the NL pennant. In the World Series, it seemed they were going to be a handful to the Astros as it showed in Games 1 and 3 with their home run barrage. In the end, the Astros were too much for them as they turned it up starting with the combined no-hitter. From there, the Phillies were met with a combination of great pitching, timely hitting and clutch defense. The Phillies put up a fight and it showed throughout the postseason. Congratulations to a job well-done and being baseball's second best team in the end.

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Is The First-Round Bye Worth It?

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As it seemed to have benefitted in the AL, it wasn't the case in the NL. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves, both teams that finished #1 and #3 respectively in the final regular season rankings, didn't fare so well as #1 and #2 seeds in the NL bracket. The Dodgers were ousted by the Padres in 5, while the Braves were done in by the Phils in 4. Therefore, they finished #6 (Dodgers) and #7 (Braves) in our final Power 10 Rankings. The Houston Astros and the New York Yankees could have met their fate early as the Seattle Mariners and the Cleveland Guardians played them tough in the Division Series. 

 

It was one heck of a postseason in the first-year of the expanded format. It will be anticipated next season will be exciting as well.