With Every Star That Drops Out, Atlanta Casts Another

The teams left standing are the deepest. That is why the Astros made it through despite losing their No. 1 starter, Lance McCullers Jr., to a forearm strain in the division series. Zack Greinke, 38, is a tired war horse, with only a trot or two left in him. Justin Verlander, who had Tommy John surgery last fall, is a memory.

Framber Valdez, a premier ground-ball specialist, gave the Astros the best-pitched game of the playoffs last week at Fenway Park. But in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, the ace’s role did not suit him. Atlanta won, 6-2, chasing Valdez in the third inning.

“It was my first World Series game, so I’m not going to tell you that I didn’t feel the pressure, I didn’t feel any kind of tension,” Valdez said through an interpreter, with admirable candor. “But I did everything I could to lower that, lower the adrenaline, lower the emotion I was feeling.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/27/sports/baseball/atlanta-world-series.html