The final games of the MLB season are here and the seven game series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers will determine who will win the World Series. Both teams had battled all season long to reach this point, however, the one final test starting in Toronto on Friday, Oct. 24 will begin.
Starting with the Blue Jays, they finished the season 94-68, tying the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East division, however, gaining the edge over their rival due to a tiebreaker, with them winning more games head-to-head against the Yankees. The Toronto bats were fueled by designated hitter George Springer, who this season had a batting average of .309 and knocked in 32 home runs for the Canadian squad. Springer had been the hero for the Toronto faithful in Game 7 of the ALCS, rocketing a 3-run home run into the seats to give the Blue Jays a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning, which eventually proved to be the game winning run for the team, clinching their first World Series berth since 1993 and attempting to win their third championship.
The Blue Jays’s two all star players in first baseman Vlad Guerrero Jr and catcher Alejandro Kirk will play key roles in the team’s success in the series, with Guerrero hitting 34 doubles and 23 home runs this season and Kirk playing a key defensive role behind the plate for framing and preventing passed balls. Guerrero has been batting particularly well this postseason, hitting well above .400 average with six home runs, causing pitchers to fear his presence at the plate, intentionally walking the 26-year-old three times in the ALCS. Guerrero, with his postseason performance, secured the ALCS MVP award as he tied the Blue Jays postseason record with six home runs. Shortstop Bo Bichette, despite being one of the worst players in the American League defensively at the position through defensive runs saved with -12, will be crucial for the Blue Jays, returning from a left knee sprain just in time for the World Series. Bichette had hit an impressive 44 doubles this season to a .311 batting average, giving the Toronto faithful hope heading into the final stretch of the postseason. The Blue Jays had a tough path to the World Series, defeating the Yankees 3-1 and surging back from being down 3-1 against the Seattle Mariners, forcing a game 7, and winning the series 4-3.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are always a team to fear in the postseason as the defending World Series champions attempt to run it back and win their ninth championship. The Dodgers finished first in the NL West ahead of the San Diego Padres by three games, however, placed third in the National League, forcing them to play in the Wild Card games. The Dodgers seemed to breeze through the Wild Cards, NLDS and NLCS, sweeping the Cincinnati Reds 2-0, beating the Phillies 3-1, and most recently, sweeping the first place Milwaukee Brewers 4-0. Heading into the first game on Friday Oct. 24, they will be well rested to take on the Blue Jays.
Los Angeles is led by the three-time MVP, Shohei Ohtani, who is almost unstoppable for most MLB teams, putting together 146 runs, the most in the MLB this season, knocking 55 home runs out and stealing 20 bases, making him possibly the best all around player in the MLB today. Ohtani pitched well this season too, with a 2.87 ERA and gaining two wins this postseason, which helped him secure the NLCS MVP award. Despite not earning an all-star nod this season, the former MVP shortstop Mookie Betts had put together a strong season with 20 home runs and 95 runs this season. First baseman Freddie Freeman and catcher Will Smith received all-star nominations this season, both playing well defensively and providing power in the star-studded lineup. Their pitching is what sets them apart from other teams, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto playing extremely well in the regular season with a 2.49 ERA. After battling injuries all season Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell have come back better than ever, both only allowing six runs over six games in the post season, with Snell having a 0.86 ERA this postseason.
Both teams have a shot to make history, but only one of the teams will take home the hardware by Nov. 1. Game 4 will be played on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 8 pm to either decide or extend the series. Games 5-7 will be determined as needed if one of the teams doesn’t sweep the series.
