The 2020 World Series begins on Tuesday night. The Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers will play Game 1 in Arlington, Texas, at 8:09 pm ET.
This is truly a tale of a small-market team versus a large-market team. Clayton Kershaw and Mookie Betts’ combined salaries almost equate to the entire payroll of the Rays team.
Most of the pressure is on the Dodgers to finish it out, as they were expected to be here. The Rays are attempting to grab the first World Series title in franchise history.
Kershaw Gets the Start
Kershaw has received plenty of criticism about his performances in the postseason. He has been one of the best regular-season pitchers for years but has failed to produce the same dominance in the postseason.
This year, he is 2-1 in the playoffs and holds a 3.32 ERA. It could be a bit better, but he has held his own in his three starts. This is a big series for him, as he will likely get two more starts.
He currently has a losing record in the postseason in his career, but two games could change that.
The Dodgers will be relying on Betts to continue to make heroic catches in the outfield while also producing at the plate. He was the biggest offseason acquisition in baseball and has the best batting average on the team in the postseason.
Glasnow on Mound for the Rays
Tyler Glasnow will get the start for the Rays. He is also 2-1 in the postseason and holds a 4.66 ERA. The right-hander hopes to get the Rays off to a great start in the World Series.
Tampa Bay had a scare in the ALCS. After getting off to a dominant start against the Astros, the Rays blew a 3-0 lead and had to play a Game 7.
The best player for Tampa Bay has been Randy Arozarena. He is hitting .382 and has added seven home runs in the postseason. Manuel Margot leads the team in RBI with 11.
The Rays will be the underdog in this series, going up against the big-market team in the Dodgers. As one of the first teams to adopt the shift, their presence in the Fall Classic says something about modern baseball.
Prediction
The Dodgers are the favorites to win Game 1 and the series. The moneyline for the Dodgers sits at -175, while the Rays are at +155.
Expect the struggles of Kershaw to continue in this one. He might not pitch too bad, but the Dodgers have had issues giving him any runs in his starts.
I’m going to take the Rays’ moneyline. I believe they will get ahead with a 1-0 start in the 2020 World Series.
The over/under is set at 7.5. I see these teams getting over that total once they reach the bullpen in the later innings.
The Rays’ bats will be alive in Game 1. Take the Rays and the over.