Los Angeles Dodgers (43-17, 1st NL West) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (40-20, 1st AL East)
Schedule
Game 1: Tuesday, October 20, 8:09 PM
Game 2: Wednesday, October 21, 8:08 PM
Game 3: Friday, October 23, 8:08 PM
Game 4: Saturday, October 24, 8:08 PM
Game 5*: Sunday, October 25, 8:08 PM
Game 6*: Tuesday, October 27, 8:08 PM
Game 7*: Wednesday, October 28, 8:09 PM
(* if necessary, all games will be in Arlington, TX and broadcasted on FOX)
Road to the World Series
Los Angeles Dodgers (NL Champions)
The Dodgers started the season hot and never looked back, winning a league-best 43 games and an eighth-straight NL West title. The momentum carried into the Wild Card Series, as they took both games from the Milwaukee Brewers.
The NLDS brought together the two top teams record-wise in the National League with the Dodgers and Padres. Los Angeles narrowly won the heavily contested season series 6-4, but made relatively quick work of their division foe in a three-game sweep.
Los Angeles faced their toughest test in the NLCS, which featured a matchup of the two unbeaten teams in the postseason. After an uncharacteristic start of back-to-back losses, the Dodgers erupted for 15 runs (including 11 in the first inning) in Game 3 to get back into the series. A loss the following night put the season in jeopardy with a 3-1 series deficit, but the league’s best team shined when it mattered most. Los Angeles won the next three games to accomplish a rare feat in a seven game series, to advance to their third World Series in four seasons.
Tampa Bay Rays (AL Champions)
The Rays finished the regular season with the best record in the American League, winning 40 of 60 games. They quickly dispatched division rival Blue Jays in the Wild Card Series, as they outscored Toronto 11-3 in a two game sweep.
The ALDS brought another division foe, as Tampa Bay outlasted the New York Yankees in five games. After failing to clinch the series in Game 4, an all-deciding Game 5 was tied going into the bottom of the eighth, but a solo home run from Mike Brosseau became the difference maker, sending the Rays to their first ALCS since 2008.
Tampa Bay wasted no time in the ALCS, winning the first three games against a red-hot Astros team. The Rays struggled to put them away, however, as Houston stormed back with three-straight wins, including two one-run contests. Tampa Bay won Game 7 4-2, as they held off a late rally attempt to advance to their second World Series in team history.
Staff Predictions
As with every round of the MLB Postseason, we polled 11 of our staff members for their predictions. Here is what the results showed for the 2020 World Series:
Los Angeles (Six votes)
- Five games… three votes
- Six games… two votes
- Seven games… one vote
Tampa Bay (Five Votes)
- Six games… five votes
Our staff, in a narrow margin, picked Los Angeles to win their first World Series title since 1988. Based on those six votes, the amount of games trended towards the shorter end. Tampa Bay was right behind with five votes, with each voter thinking the Rays will need six games to win their first-ever World Series.
(Cover Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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