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The Washington Nationals go into the National League Championship Series (NLCS) as slight favorites to reach the World Series.
The Nationals pulled off the upset of the postseason so far, as they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 to win a playoff series for the first time in their 15-year history.
The Dodgers were second-favorite to win the World Series this year after falling at the last hurdle for the last two straight seasons.
However, they squandered a 2-1 lead in the series and the Nationals took the decider 7-3 in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
According to FanDuel, Washington is a 91/100 favorite to win the NLCS, while the Cardinals have slightly longer odds at 19/20.
PointsBet has the Nationals as 3/4 favorite and the Cardinals as 11/10 underdog, while BetAmerica and FOX Bet believe there's nothing between the two teams and both have the Nationals and the Cardinals at 91/100 to win.
St. Louis reached the Championship Series for the first time since 2015 after defeating the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in the National League Division Series.
The Cardinals made history on Wednesday night, becoming the first team to score 10 runs in the first inning of a playoff game as they thrashed the Braves 13-1 in Atlanta in Game 5.
Only three other teams—the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1929 World Series, the Detroit Tigers in the 1968 World Series and the Los Angeles Angels in the 2002 American League Championship Series—had achieved the feat, but none of them had done so in the first inning.
St. Louis is also the only member of the quartet to score 10 runs in an inning without hitting any home run.
The Nationals, who eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in the Wild Card round, are the last hurdle standing between the Cardinals and a first appearance at the World Series in six years.
In 2013, St. Louis reached the World Series for the third time in eight years but lost 4-2 to the Boston Red Sox.
It's not hard to see why bookmakers expect the series to be evenly poised. Washington has scored the second-most runs in the National League this season and arrived into the playoff in red-hot form after going 74-38 since May 23.
The loss of Bryce Harper to the Philadelphia Phillies is a long-distant memory.
Washington ranked second in on-base percentage and steals and third on average, while Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto provide a power-hitting threat.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, have improved defensively under Mike Shildt—they had the best defensive efficiency on ground balls during the regular season—and their error total of 66 during the campaign was one the lowest team totals on record.
Beginning with Jack Flaherty, the Cardinals boast a rotation that is better than most of their rivals, which played a significant role in them winning a first divisional title in four years.
One of the criticisms aimed at St. Louis was that its offense had been too inconsistent throughout the regular season, but the scoring explosion in Game 5 against the Braves may have changed opinions.
About the writer
Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he ... Read more