It's time for my annual column looking ahead to potential World Series showdowns. We've been blessed in recent years not just with some great matchups in the Fall Classic, but some classic World Series, as well: the small-market Royals winning in 2015; the Cubs ending their curse in 2016 with a dramatic Game 7 win; the Astros winning their first title in 2017 in a colossal showdown against the Dodgers; and the Red Sox impressively steamrollering through the Yankees, Astros and Dodgers to take the title last year.
We still have a few playoff spots to decide, but let's break things down:
The powerhouse showdowns
With apologies to the Braves, we have three great teams in 2019:
Astros: 98-53, plus-255 run differential
Yankees: 98-53, plus-188 run differential
Dodgers: 97-54, plus-240 run differential
The Braves have been spectacular in the second half, but their run differential for the season is still just plus-106.