The Houston Astros are headed to the MLB World Series after cruising through the playoffs. After sweeping both the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees, Houston seems primed for a World Series win. However, nothing will come easy against a red hot Philadelphia Phillies ball club. There is one particular player who can provide the Astros with an advantage in the series.

Jose Altuve has been mentioned as an X-Factor by many people following his abysmal performance so far in the postseason. People are expecting Altuve to bounce back and help the Astros get the job done. But there is one other player who tends to fly under the radar who will be crucial for Houston's chances.

And the Astros X-Factor is…

Kyle Tucker is the Astros' X-Factor. With stars such as Yordan Alvarez, Justin Verlander, Jose Altuve, and Alex Bregman leading the way, Tucker tends to get lost in the shuffle.

But make no mistake about it, Kyle Tucker is a star player.

Tucker has hit exactly 30 home runs in each of the past two seasons. He drove in a career high 107 runs in 2022. Overall, his OPS and slash line dropped following his superb 2021 campaign. But Tucker still posted impressive numbers hitting in the middle of Houston's lineup.

But why is Kyle Tucker the Astros X-Factor?

Phillies will utilize right-handed pitching against Astros

The Phillies feature heavy right-handed pitching talent. Their top two starting pitchers, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, both throw from the right side. Meanwhile, two of their better relievers in David Robertson and Seranthony Dominguez are righties as well.

This spells trouble for right-handed batters like Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve. But wouldn't Yordan Alvarez excel in this circumstance? After all, he's a left-handed power threat.

There are two reasons why I didn't choose Alvarez to be the Astros' X-Factor.

First off, Alvarez is far too notable to be listed as an X-Factor. He's a renowned power hitter who doesn't go unnoticed.

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Secondly, the Phillies are going to pitch around him. This doesn't mean they will walk him every time, but Philadelphia won't give him anything to hit. Their gameplan is going to revolve around containing Alvarez.

This leaves us with Kyle Tucker. it wouldn't be surprising to see Philadelphia take him for granted. He isn't an intimidating physical presence and the Phillies may opt to pitch to him instead of others.

And that is going to be a mistake.

Tucker's blend of hitting IQ and sneaky power will take a him a long way at the plate in the World Series for the Astros.

Kyle Tucker is versatile 

Kyle Tucker isn't a bad defender. Defense is crucial in big games and Tucker will make plays in right field. Tucker can also swipe a bag or two if needed.

His versatile presence has X-Factor written all over it. In the end, I expect Kyle Tucker's bat to steal the show. He should be able to fare well against the Phillies' right-handed pitchers. But it would not be surprising to see him drastically impact the game with his speed and defensive ability.

This is destined to be a competitive series. The Astros certainly have what it takes to win it all, but they cannot afford to overlook the Phillies. Kyle Tucker will look to help Houston win the 2022 MLB World Series.