Justin Verlander was answering questions about his start for the Houston Astros in Friday nightB次元官网网址檚 World Series opener when the head of the oppositionB次元官网网址檚 baseball staff took the unorthodox step of walking into the interview room to extend a hand.

B次元官网网址淲here did you start your career again?B次元官网网址� Philadelphia Phillies executive Dave Dombrowski said with a grin.

As DetroitB次元官网网址檚 general manager, Dombrowski made Verlander the No. 2 pick in the 2004 amateur draft.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 still wearing the same cologne,B次元官网网址� Verlander told his audience. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a very distinct one. I remember that smell.B次元官网网址�

Verlander has a nose for success, not just fragrance B次元官网网址� it was Paul Sebastian, Dombrowski said later. The 39-year-old right-hander likely is headed to his third Cy Young Award in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, going 18-4 with a major league-best 1.75 ERA to give him a 244-133 record, a 3.24 ERA and 3,198 strikeouts in 17 seasons.

Yet he remains in search of his first World Series win after going 0-6 with a 5.68 ERA in seven Series starts.

B次元官网网址淭his guyB次元官网网址檚 pitched well,B次元官网网址� VerlanderB次元官网网址檚 former manager in Detroit, Jim Leyland, said in a telephone interview. B次元官网网址淭hese guys are human. They can have a bad game every now and then. And if itB次元官网网址檚 on a big stage, it gets magnified a little bit.B次元官网网址�

Houston and in the playoffs and could join the 1976 Cincinnati Reds (7-0) as the only teams to go through the postseason unbeaten since the division era started in 1969.

Aaron Nola starts for the Phillies, and a franchise that has brought just two titles to Philadelphia B次元官网网址� compared to five won by the Athletics before leaving town after 1954.

Houston is in the Series for the fourth time in six seasons and second in a row under manager Dusty Baker after . For a significant segment of fans, are remembered as the CheatinB次元官网网址� Astros, the fallout from the scandal in which .

Verlander is among five players on the Series roster left from the 2017 Astros, joined by second baseman Jose Altuve, third baseman Alex Bregman, first baseman Yuli Gurriel and pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.

B次元官网网址淒usty and I both would like to check off my first World Series win, his first World Series championship,B次元官网网址� Verlander said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been games in the World Series that I donB次元官网网址檛 deserve a win. ThereB次元官网网址檚 been games that I thought I pitched well enough where we could get a win and it just didnB次元官网网址檛 work out. At this point in the season personal goals like that just donB次元官网网址檛 matter. Try to win the game however you can.B次元官网网址�

Verlander will be starting his third Series opener. He lost to St. Louis as a rookie in 2006, giving up a two-run homer to Albert Pujols, and to San Francisco in 2012, allowing a pair of long balls to San FranciscoB次元官网网址檚 Pablo Sandoval. In 2017, he and married supermodel Kate Upton three days after Game 7.

B次元官网网址淲hen he was in the minor league system, I told our broadcaster, Jim Price, I said, B次元官网网址楯im, I know this is high ground, but I said IB次元官网网址檇 compare him to Nolan Ryan,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Dombrowski recalled.

Verlander throws nearly as hard as he did at his peak, averaging 95 mph this year with his fastball, 1 mph less than in 2009. His location has become refined since he was .

B次元官网网址淗e was able to locate that fastball up in the zone, where it looked like a good pitch to hit but they couldnB次元官网网址檛 get to it,B次元官网网址� Leyland said.

Verlander mixes in sliders and curves, and throws a couple of changeups per game, often in a key situation.

B次元官网网址淥ne of those things that just comes with time, logging innings, instincts,B次元官网网址� he said. IB次元官网网址檝e talked to some guys before about what I see and IB次元官网网址檝e come to realize just not everybody sees what I do. I donB次元官网网址檛 know exactly why. I would assume itB次元官网网址檚 just paying attention and pitching for a long time.B次元官网网址�

He will pitch on eight daysB次元官网网址� rest since . Nola, a 29-year-old right-hander who has spent his entire career with the Phillies, .

Phillies manager Rob Thomson had no doubt about giving the ball to Nola for the .

B次元官网网址淗e actually just told me right when we stormed the field,B次元官网网址� Nola recalled of SundayB次元官网网址檚 pennant clincher. B次元官网网址淲e hugged each other and he told me then.B次元官网网址�

Thomson, a baseball lifer who coached for the Yankees from 2008-17, moved to the Phillies in 2018 and . He is seeking to join Bob Lemon of the 1978 Yankees and Jack McKeon of the 2003 Marlins as the only midseason replacements to manage a champion. He is the first Canadian to manage a team into the Series.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a proud Canadian and I love my country. I love what we stand for. But to tell you the truth IB次元官网网址檓 just happy to be managing a team in the World Series,B次元官网网址� he said.

Baker noted he may have a spiritual edge this year.

B次元官网网址淟ast year was the death of Hank Aaron and also we were playing the Braves. So the way I look at it, much as I like Hank and as much as he loves me and each other, he was probably rooting for the Braves last year,B次元官网网址� Baker said. B次元官网网址淚 figure now heB次元官网网址檚 rooting for me.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擱onald Blum, The Associated Press