Washington Nationals @ Houston Astros: Pitching duel will settle series

Washington Nationals @ Houston Astros - Game 7
Thursday, 00:05 GMT

Aces duel to decide the title

Coming in to the series it was obvious that it would be the pitching staff who would decide the victor. Houston and Washington have two of the best rotations in the majors and are stacked with options wherever you look.

Tonight, in Game 7, we'll see Zack Greinke and Max Scherzer try to assert their dominance on the opposition. Scherzer was originally scheduled to play in Game 5, but a neck issue curtailed that outing and left him facing a race against time to be fit for tonight's game. The 12-year veteran spent the back end of Game 6 testing out his arm in the bullpen, preparing for the biggest game of his career. Scherzer will, no doubt, want to go deep in to the game but Washington could turn to either Patrick Corbin or Anibal Sanchez from the bullpen if needed.

Greinke joined the Astros earlier this season with a history of exceptional regular season production but with no career defining playoff moment to his name, tonight that can change.

The righty has won 205 regular season games in his career but few will have been as significant as his win in Game 3 to get Houston back in to the mix, if he can continue that form the Astros will be in a good place. Houston, like Washington, will also have starting pitchers in the bullpen tonight as Gerrit Cole looks to close out an outstanding 2019.

With so much quality pitching on display, look for the game to be low scoring and tight through to the end. A fully fit Greinke with, Cy Young front runner, Cole as his backup makes the Astros favourites.

Bregman the man to lead Houston home

With so little margin for error tonight's game could be decided by just one swing of the bat, and few men have swung it better than Alex Bregman. Houston's third baseman has hit four home runs this October, and three of them have come in this series making him a front runner for World Series MVP.

He is in exceptional form and will expect to dominate the batter's box for one final time this year. As I say, I don't expect the game to be high scoring but if anybody if going to blow the game open, it will be Bregman.