The Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros are gearing up for Game 5 on Thursday night, and it could end up being pivotal in deciding who wins the 2022 World Series. With the series tied at two games apiece, the Phillies will be turning things over to Noah Syndergaard, while Justin Verlander will get the ball for the Astros.

It's been a strange season for Syndergaard, who signed with the Los Angeles Angels last offseason before getting traded to the Phillies at the trade deadline. Now, he finds himself preparing for what is easily the biggest game of his career so far, as he will play a huge role in determining whether the Phillies will be up 3-2 or down 3-2 in this series. Syndergaard knows how high the stakes are, and opened up on facing off against one of his idols in Verlander in Game 5.

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“It's going to be really cool to have the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with Justin Verlander. Justin's a guy that I've looked up to my entire life . . . Just the whole opportunity just kind of gives me chills.” – Noah Syndergaard, NewsDay

It sounds like Syndergaard is in a good spot ahead of this huge game for himself and the Phillies. He has a tall task going up against Verlander and a very dangerous Astros lineup, and even though Syndergaard has had a somewhat uneven season, he has the talent to shut down Houston and give Philadelphia a much needed lead in this series. Whether that happens, though, depends on how he performs, which sets the stage for a huge Game 5 matchup.