Houston are tipped to win their second championship in three seasons. But how do the two teams compare position-by-position?
First base
Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman. The longtime face of the franchise, Zimmerman was Washington’s first draft pick in 2005 after the team moved to the nation’s capital from Montreal. A converted third baseman, he’s been hampered by injuries much of the past six years including shoulder problems that affect his throwing. But at age 35, he’s become an everyday player again during a solid postseason. Astros: Yuli Gurriel. From a family of
baseball royalty in Cuba, the highly touted Gurriel got a $47.5m contract and has established himself as a productive RBI man during three full years in the majors. He was slumping in the AL Championship Series against the Yankees until his three-run homer got the Astros going in the Game 6 clincher. Edge: Astros. Second base