Seven months ago, 30 teams reported to Spring Training, all with the same goal: make the playoffs and win the World Series. Seven months later, only two teams remain. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays will face off for the ultimate prize, the summit of professional baseball, what every kid who grows up playing America’s Pastime dreams of holding: the Commissioner’s Trophy. Each team follows their own differing paths, but those paths have led them to the doorstep of the World Series.
Toronto Blue Jays 94-68 First in AL East
The Toronto Blue Jays aren’t supposed to be here. Before the season started, the Blue Jays were projected to be the bottom-dwellers of the ever-competitive American League East. Most of the conversation surrounding the team up north consisted of how Toronto was going to handle the incoming free-agency of star first-baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on April 9, after an 8-5 start to the season, the Jays inked Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500 million contract, shoring up any doubts about his future with the team. After a 11-14 month of April, the Blue Jays never again had a losing month, and rode a hot summer to an American League leading 94-68 record.
The Blue Jays boasted one of the league’s best offenses throughout the season. Their .265 batting average and .333 on-base percentage ranks as the league’s best. Their offense is led by Guerrero Jr., outfielder George Springer and shortstop Bo Bichette. Bichette especially has had a career year, racking up a .311 batting average to go with 18 home runs and a .840 OPS. Second year outfielder Addison Barger broke out this season with 21 homers, and broke through to be a key piece in the potent Jays lineup. Even with star DH Anthony Santander missing almost four months with injury, the Blue Jays just carried on.
The pitching staff for Toronto, the perceived weakness of the squad, did enough to help them win games. Kevin Gausman was the leader of the staff, as usual. It was the auxiliary pieces, however, that showed up for the team up north when it really mattered. Eric Lauer was a surprise breakout for the squad. The veteran pitcher threw 104.2 innings on his way to a 9-2 record, while having a career-low earned-run average of 3.18.
Toronto coasted through the ALDS with a sweep of the Yankees, but fell behind 2-0 to the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS. To go along with a common theme of comeback wins, the Jays fought to force a game seven on Oct. 20. In Game seven, down 3-1 in the seventh inning, George Springer homered off Eduardo Bazardo for the biggest hit for the Jays since Joe Carter’s walk-off to win the 1993 World Series, the last time Toronto was in the Fall Classic.
Toronto has been starving for winning baseball since 1993, and they finally have it. However, a championship won’t come easy, as they have to face the Dodgers and their deep pockets on their quest for greatness.
Los Angeles Dodgers 93-69 First in NL West
The Dodgers were always supposed to get to the World Series, but the road to get there wasn’t always clear. After taking home the crown last season, the Dodgers still seemingly managed to improve their squad, signing Japanese dynamo pitcher Roki Sasaki, and relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates. However, each of those signings have been a letdown. After a series of disappointing outings, Sasaki was demoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he spent the rest of the season. The Dodgers have found new ways to use the $325-million-dollar-man in October, often using him as a late-inning reliever in the postseason. Scott and Yates both have ERA’s over 4.7, so LA’s spending hasn’t accounted for much production so far.
Although their recent acquisitions haven’t worked out, it’s what the Dodgers already have that gives them an edge over every other team in the league. They perhaps have the best player in the history of the league in Shohei Ohtani, as well as future Hall of Famers Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
Simply put, the Dodgers are the most talented team in the league. With Ohtani, Freeman and Betts, as well as star pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers by far outpace the rest of the league in talent, as well as payroll. With $350 million on their books, it’s no surprise that the Dodgers find themselves four games away from a championship.
A possible wildcard for this Dodgers squad against the Blue Jays could be center fielder Andy Pages. Surprisingly, Pages racked up a 3.8 WAR as well as 27 home runs and a .282 batting average. Along with solid defense, Pages could end up being a difference maker.
Prediction: Dodgers win 4-2
The Dodgers will win this series 4-2. I imagine that Los Angeles will take the first two games behind strong starts from Snell and Yamamoto, but Toronto will win game three off the back of a rare shaky Ohtani outing. After a Dodgers win to go up 3-1, Toronto will take game five, but will ultimately lose in the sixth matchup.
World Series MVP: Shohei Ohtani SP/DH
Is this even a doubt? After a big performance in game four of the NLCS against the Brewers, Ohtani has made up for an otherwise disappointing postseason with maybe the best single game performance of all time. Ohtani will continue this run of great performance in the Fall Classic, and he will take home the MVP.
One Bold Prediction: Guerrero Goes Quiet On The Big Stage
After a whirlwind season, Vlad Jr. has had a really nice run of performances this postseason. He had his best series of the postseason vs Seattle, going 10 for 26 with seven extra-base hits. Even though he’s had a great postseason, the lights will be too bright for Guerrero in the Fall Classic and the Dodgers’ pitching staff will limit his production.
The World Series kicks off on Friday, Oct. 24, at 7 P.M. on FOX.
