Series throw-down: Astros, Nats relying on rotations

Now this is a serious World Series throw-down.

Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke vs. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin — all of them All-Star starters, still pitching at their peak.

It’s a mound meeting that every fan can enjoy, the Houston Astros against the Washington Nationals. Capital hill, indeed. “We’ve got the best pitcher in the world going. And then after that, we’ve got the best pitcher in the world going, too. And then after that, we’ve got the best pitcher in the world going, too,” Astros third baseman Alex Bregman said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Bregman and fellow MVP candidate Anthony Rendon certainly did their parts to make this the Year of the Home Run. And José Altuve lit up Minute Maid Park with his walk-off homer to beat the Yankees in the AL Championship Series.

But the focus of this Fall Classic is right on the rotations. Houston opened as a 2-1 favorite at the Las Vegas sportsbooks.

Cole is set to throw the first pitch on Tuesday night in Houston. He led the majors with 326 strikeouts, was second to Verlander in the big leagues with 20 wins and topped the AL with a 2.50 ERA.

He also is 19-0 in his last 25 starts. That includes 3-0 in the playoffs so far, allowing one earned run in 22 2/3 innings while fanning 32.

Cole was acquired by the Astros a few months after they won the 2017 World Series. He has fit in fine with his Houston teammates and also has gotten acquainted with some of the Washington aces — the teams share the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches spring training complex in Florida.

“I know a few guys in their rotation, and I’m personally excited that they’re in this position, and I’m just very excited to get in there,” Cole said late Saturday night.