MLB World Series Preview and Free Picks
The World Series features a surprise #1 seed from the junior circuit taking on the National League’s expected pick. The Dodgers are after their third championship this decade and back-to-back, and are significant favorites to take home the hardware again. Read the keys to the Fall Classic for both squads.
World Series (3) L.A. Dodgers (-242) vs. (1) Toronto Blue Jays (+201)
If you take this number at face value, every team the Dodgers have played in the playoffs from the National League other than Cincinnati is better than Toronto. Granted, Los Angeles appears stronger today than they did entering the postseason. And who knows what L.A. might be favored by if they had the home field advantage?
In trying to understand this betting line, we are not saying the number is wrong. Rather, in reviewing various series bets one can place, it finds oddsmakers’ sweet spot for the length of the series is five games, meaning a return trip to Canada is not expected.
Let’s look at factors and reasons why the Dodgers can repeat or the Blue Jays stun the world.
L.A. Dodgers Keys
Since winning the World Series a year ago, the Dodgers’ plan all along was to repeat. Not in the traditional sense of – wanting to – rather, planning to. Los Angeles added two new starting pitchers in Blake Snell and Shohei Ohtani (coming off Tommy John).
The L.A. regular season was a disappointment to many, but insiders knew if they could get everyone healthy going into
August, their starting pitching had a chance to dominate. That has worked out precisely with Snell and Ohtani blending with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow.
That is why manager Dave Roberts club is positioned to be the first team in a quarter century to repeat. The L.A. bullpen is less of a problem with the starters’ effectiveness, going deeper into games (and trusted too). Roberts trusts reliever Alex Vesia and adopted closer Roki Sasaki, who’s been terrific.
Offensively, Ohtani is back hitting, and the rest of the hitters, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, are proven postseason players who seem able to do what is necessary in the right spots of games to secure. Dodger Blue is 10-1 in the playoffs, while on an 18-3 run. Beating this team four times would challenge the 1999-2000 New York Yankees, the last repeat champs.
Toronto Blue Jays Keys
It’s not an accident that Toronto is here. The Blue Jays can hit, score runs, move runners, and have enough power to make them extra dangerous. Toronto has scored the most runs, hit the most home runs, and struck out at the lowest rate of any team this postseason. This series is really about the unstoppable force (Blue Jays hitters) vs. the immovable object (Dodgers staff).
Ohtani might have had the all-time one-game performance in the playoffs, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been the best player in October. He’s a wrecking crew, and if he keeps it rolling, Toronto makes this more interesting. Nevertheless, you don’t beat L.A. four times with one player. George Springer has to continue to deliver big hits. However, more importantly, it’s the rest of the Blue Jays hitters putting continual pressure on Dodgers hurlers as they have all season. That would be the bottom of the order getting on base or hitting shocking long balls as they did against Seattle. In truth, this is where the series is won or lost for the Jays.
Toronto starting pitchers Kevin Gausman and rookie Trey Yesavage are expected to start both games at home to begin the Fall Classic. One would think the Blue Jays would need at least a split with these two pitchers in the first two contests.
L.A. will be a good-sized favorite in Games 3 and 4. Manager John Schneider will have variations of Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer, presumably with Chris Bassitt at the ready to step in. Louis Varland is Toronto’s best reliever, and he’ll be asked to quell the middle innings. If this sounds impossible, who had Walker Buehler as the Dodgers’ most important pitcher against the Yankees last year?
Conclusion – The Dodgers are chasing history, Toronto is seeking a way to make the World Series at 2-2, creating a best-of-three, where all pressure is on Los Angeles. The truth is, pitching almost always matters more this time of year, and Dave Roberts has an ample amount.
Free Pick: L.A. Dodgers Win (in 5)
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