World Series to feature pair of Notre Dame baseball standouts

World Series hopes and predictions?

The 2022 World Series will feature the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies as the Fall Classic gets underway on Friday night.  It’s the Astros’ fourth trip in the last six years, having won it all in 2017 while the Phillies are making their first trip since 2009 when they fell to the Yankees.

The Astros will feature designated hitter [autotag]Trey Mancini[/autotag] who was dealt from the Orioles at this year’s trade deadline.  In 51 games with Houston this regular season, Mancini struggled to a .176 batting average, .622 OPS, and hit eight home runs.  He’s 0-12 with a walk and hit-by-pitch this postseason.

Phillies outfielder [autotag]Matt Vierling[/autotag] hit .260 this regular season with six homers.  He’s 2-10 this postseason with a double and RBI for the National League champions.

Mancini starred at Notre Dame from 2011-2013 while Vierling did so from 2016-18.  Whichever wins will become just the third former Notre Dame player to win a World Series crown since [autotag]Brad Lidge[/autotag] did so with the Phillies in 2008, as they’ll join[autotag] A.J. Pollock[/autotag] who did so with the Dodgers in 2020.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz1mmy7gev0xbr player_id=none image=https://fightingirishwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

[listicle id=27097]

MLB: A. J. Pollock traded from Dodgers to White Sox

South Side Irish, indeed!

Much has been made this off-season about the Chicago White Sox needing to address whatever it is they have going on in right field.  That was finally the case on Friday when the Southsiders dealt reliever Craig Kimbrel to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for A. J. Pollock.

Pollock, a former Notre Dame star, spent the last three seasons with the Dodgers after signing a four-year deal in 2019.  With them he was a member of their 2020 World Series championship and is coming off one of his better seasons where he hit .297 with 21 home runs and 69 RBI.  He is expected to play right field for the White Sox despite playing just six games in right field during his career.  Being an above average center fielder during his career should erase most concern about that move, however.

Pollock hit 17 home runs in three seasons at Notre Dame from 2007-2009.

Related:

Notre Dame players on 2021 MLB Opening Day rosters