World Series Preview: A Matchup 102 Years in the Making
Tonight, the Dodgers and Red Sox kick off a best-of-seven World Series as the race to a championship hits the home stretch.
Well baseball fans, we made it. Through fan interference calls and controversial baserunning, we made it, and so did the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who begin a best-of-seven World Series in Boston tonight.
No matter who you root for, this is going to be a World Series for the ages. The Dodgers and Red Sox are two of the most historic franchises in sports. They haven’t met in the World Series since 1916. When they did, the Red Sox won in five games, with Babe Ruth pitching them to victory in Game 2.
That was over a century ago, however, and times sure have changed. Brooklyn, then called the Robbins, would not move out to Los Angeles for another 42 years. The Red Sox would win one more World Series and then go championship-less for 86 years. The Ted Williams era would come and go, the Jackie Robinson era changed baseball, but he would never face Williams or Carl Yastrzemski.
The Curse of the Bambino would not end until this year’s college freshman were entering kindergarten.
So, 102 years later, with so much history in baseball’s rearview, the Dodgers and Red Sox face off again, with rosters filled to the brim with superstars.
The Red Sox may not have Babe Ruth, and the Dodgers may not have Jeff Pfeffer, but they do have some pretty exceptional talent.
Let’s take a look at what lies ahead.
GAME ONE: CLAYTON KERSHAW VS. CHRIS SALE
Pick two elite pitchers to have face each other, chances are it will be these two guys. Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale are the best in their leagues, and now we’ll get to see their dominance play out in the World Series.
Both of these pitchers have similar demeanors. They both focus on and work on continually getting better. Game one could feature a pitchers duel unlike any other.
The bullpens in this series are pretty evenly matched, with the Dodgers slightly edging out the Red Sox.
Craig Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen have both struggled, but are still postseason-worthy closers. Ryan Madson has been exactly who the Dodgers need him to be on the mound.
This series will feature Walker Buehler facing hitters like J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts. It will feature Rich Hill reuniting with the team that he spent parts of four seasons with.
The pitchers, however, will face an uphill battle because the lineups for both the Dodgers and the Red Sox are tough to strike out.
PITCHERS, BEWARE.
The sluggers in this lineup are in the World Series for a reason. J.D. Martinez had a breakout year in Boston and Max Muncy has found his swing in LA. Every hitter in each of these lineups will be hard to strike out, as the Red Sox hit well with runners in scoring position, and the Dodgers are patient and take their walks.
Here are the top sluggers to watch in this series
Mookie Betts:
Betts has been an offensive powerhouse for the Red Sox all season long. He won the AL batting title and slugged 32 homers on 180 hits in the regular season. His defense in right rivals that of his Dodgers counterpart Yasiel Puig but is a consistent threat at the plate.
J.D. Martinez:
The Dodgers are no stranger to seeing J.D Martinez in the postseason. He spent the second half of last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s been absolutely on fire all season long and goes into this series with two of the biggest things in baseball; consistency and familiarity.
Jackie Bradley Jr.:
JBJ, the reigning ALCS MVP for the Sox, had a monster championship series against the Astros and comes into this series as one of the strongest hitters in Boston’s powerhouse lineup.
Yasiel Puig:
Like Betts, Puig has been elite both at the plate and in right field, and comes into the World Series batting .333 in the postseason.
Manny Machado:
Machado is no stranger to Boston. He spent his entire career in Baltimore before being traded to the Dodgers this summer. He’s hit three homers so far this postseason with nine RBIs.
Cody Bellinger:
Like JBJ, Bellinger enters this series as the MVP. He’s played great postseason baseballs o far and looks to continue his dominance against the Sox in the series that matters most.
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This series is going to be a battle of two powerhouses. It has to potential to be one of the best World Series in history. Are you ready for some epic baseball?