2022 has been a great season for Major League Baseball. Quite a few milestones have been reached, and as the playoffs continue, fans are eager to see the outcome. With teams like the Dodgers and Astros getting over 100 wins in the regular season, or the Braves looking for a back-to-back World Series victory. But that’s not all. This season, Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera got his 3000th career hit, and Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols hit his 700th career home run. On top of that, Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge broke the 61-year-old American League single-season home-run record. With the World Series right around the corner, Troy High baseball fans were asked for their thoughts on the outcome.  

Junior Zach Gillespie said, “The Dodgers, they have the best lineup out of everyone in baseball,” when asked who he thought would win the World Series this year. 

The Dodgers lineup consists of players Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, Freddie Freeman and Cody Bellinger, some of them having batting averages over .300, which is above the Major League average. The Dodgers have been in the playoffs every year since 2013 but only won in 2020. This year they look to take home their eighth World Series title, not just a National League pennant. 

On the other side of the playoffs is the American League, and when asked who he thought would win the World Series, sophomore David Crockett said, “The Yankees are looking pretty good this year, so I’m gonna go with the Yankees. They’ve ended the last games on a good winning streak.” 

The Yankees won the American League East division. They fought hard all season, especially after the All-Star break to stay in first place in their division. Aaron Judge, the star outfielder predicted to win the MVP, is on the Yankees. This year he chased Roger Maris’ single season homerun record of 61 and on Oct. 4, the second to last game of the regular season, Judge hit his 62nd home run to break the record. 

In 1961, when Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth’s previous record, fans and officials didn’t think his record should count because, at the time, Ruth had done it in 154 games, whereas Maris had broken it in 162. 

Senior Austin Cicerone was asked for his opinion on Judge’s record counting, responding, “Yes, no regular player can do it, so when a guy like him does it, it’s something that doesn’t really happen a lot, so I think him breaking the record should matter.” This season, Aaron Judge hit 62 home runs. The next closest player only hit 46, revealing no other player came close. 

After the Wild Card series four teams were knocked out, the Rays, Blue Jays, Cardinals and Mets, most of which were huge upsets. Continuing to the second round, the Division Series, the next four teams out were the Dodgers, Mariners, Braves and Guardians. At the time of publication, there were four teams left. The Yankees and Astros playing for the American League Pennant, and the Padres and Phillies playing for the National League pennant. All four teams have done very well in the postseason and many baseball fans are looking forward to seeing who the champion will be.