2018 World Series Preview

The time has finally arrived. We started this journey back in April, with 30 teams starting the chase. Now, here we sit with seven more games in the Major League Baseball season. Whoever is left standing by the end of this series will be able to carry the Comissioners Trophy high over their heads as the best team in the game of baseball this season. It is the 114th World Series to be played, with the leagues trading off championships each of the last five seasons. It's a battle of two storied franchises in the game who haven't faced off for a title since 1916.  Let's get into it right now and break this series down as best we can.

This year's fall classic pits the American League Champion Boston Red Sox going against the National League Champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Boston won 108 regular season games, winning the AL East. Once the playoffs started, Boston got here by beating the Yankees in four games in the divisional round and then followed that up by beating the Astros in five games in the league championship series. Boston now has a 91-83 lifetime record in the playoffs. This is the fourth World Series appearance by the Red Sox in 14 years and their 13th appearance all-time.

As for the Los Angeles Dodgers, they won 92 regular season games, getting them a National League West title for the sixth straight year. During the playoffs, the Dodgers knocked off the Braves in four in the divisional round, and followed that up by beating the Brewers in seven tough games. Los Angeles is 72-89 lifetime in the playoffs. This is the Dodgers' second appearance in 30 years, and the fifth overall occasion where the Dodgers appeared in back-to-back World Series. Two came in Brooklyn in 1952–1953 and 1955–1956, while the other two came in Los Angeles in 1965–1966 and 1977–1978. Overall, this is the Dodgers' 20th World Series appearance.

Here are the dates and times for every game in this series:
Game 1 (Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Dodgers at Red Sox
Game 2 (Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Dodgers at Red Sox
Game 3 (Friday, Oct. 26 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Red Sox at Dodgers
Game 4 (Saturday, Oct. 27 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Red Sox at Dodgers
Game 5* (Sunday, Oct. 28 at 8:15 p.m. ET): Red Sox at Dodgers
Game 6* (Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Dodgers at Red Sox
Game 7* (Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 8:09 p.m. ET): Dodgers at Red Sox

It sounds weird to say this but, even though the Red Sox won 108 games during the regular season, they had question marks going into the playoffs. The biggest one had been the relief pitching. It started to show during the ALDS that both Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes came up huge in that series. It showed that the playoffs are a different animal and that guys step up bigger during the fall. Both Braiser and Barnes did that. They helped the starting pitching that had Chris Sale playing great and he's showing that he's healthy for the first time in quite some time. A healthy Chris Sale is going to be causing a lot of problems for the Dodgers bats, just look at what he's done so far in this year's playoffs, its pretty impressive. Giving up just 4 runs in 10.1 innings in this year's playoffs shows that he's back on his game. Rick Porcello and David Price have both been decent, but could be better. What helps the Red Sox staff out is their offense.

Just in this year's playoffs, Boston has scored 56 runs, which is 14 more then they've given up. Jackie Bradley Jr and JD Martinez have both been huge for Boston, driving in nine runs each during the course of the playoffs to this point, which is hitting at a higher level. They aren't the only one who's produced. Rafael Devers, Brock Holt and Xander Bogaerts are also producing. That's a statement to what Alex Cora has been able to do with his baseball team. He knew how to push the right buttons at the right time to get his players going. Boston has been able to score in bunches in this years playoffs, which has taken pressure off their pitching staff. Because both the pitching and hitting are reaching their strides at the right time, Boston is favored going into this series.

Lets not count out the Dodgers here. Los Angeles has had a lower producing offense here in the post season. Their OPS is down 100 points from what they managed to do during the regular season. One plus for the Dodgers is that they only have one left handed reliever to go against in the Boston bullpen, so if they can get to the starters early, then Los Angeles can have a feast. Manny Machado has been quite the hitter in the playoffs for the Dodgers, driving in nine runs this post season. David Freese has driven in five, but what has to be a little concerning is that there's only two LA hitters, Freese and Cory Taylor, who are hitting .300 or better in October.

Pitching has done what its needed to do for the Dodgers this fall, with Clayton Kershaw living up to his talent level in the playoffs. Two wins and an ERA under three have to be plenty pleasing to Dodgers fans. It's not all a one man show. Rich Hill, Walker Buehler, and Hyun-Jin Ryun are all going to be counted on to try and deliver for Dave Roberts. LA's bullpen has been solid all playoffs long, giving up a grand total of six runs. To put it like this, Boston had better get a jump on the starters, because if the Dodgers get to the bullpen with a lead, it could be lights out for Red Sox hitting.

This will be a very evenly played series, which will go the distance. What I have more faith with in this final showdown is hitting, and right now Boston's hitting appears to be coming in with hotter bats then that of Los Angeles. Plus the Red Sox have had a few more days rest then the Dodgers have, which could give them a slight edge. All in all, this will be a fun series to watch. At the end of the day the Dodgers will once again become bridesmaid.

Prediction: Red Sox in 7!