We’ve reached the final -- and biggest -- stage of the MLB calendar. The stakes are at their highest, the lights are at their brightest and the chill of autumn is in the air.
That can only mean one thing: the World Series.
World Series Game 1, presented by Capital One: Friday, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, FOX
The 121st Fall Classic gets underway with Game 1 of Dodgers-Blue Jays on Friday evening at Rogers Centre. And this is a matchup that has never been seen before -- never have these two clubs met with the game's ultimate prize hanging in the balance.
With the defending World Series champions trying to become the first back-to-back champs in 25 years, and their opponent looking to win it all for the first time in more than three decades, it promises to be a tremendous series.
But who will win? In how many games? And who will be the World Series MVP?
We put those questions to a panel of MLB.com experts, and here are the results:
Dodgers vs. Blue Jays
The pick: Dodgers (36 of 56 votes, 64%)
The Blue Jays finished the regular season with the best record in the American League, and Toronto has been battle tested, ousting the Yankees in a four-game AL Division Series before capturing a thrilling seven-game AL Championship Series from the Mariners.
Yet though the Jays have proven their playoff mettle and are paced by a slugging first baseman enjoying one of the all-time great individual postseasons, they now face a team that has captured nine of its 10 playoff games this month.
They say pitching and defense wins championships. If that saying holds true, it’ll be tough to beat the Dodgers. Yes, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the hottest hitter on the planet -- Shohei Ohtani’s mind-boggling two-way performance in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series notwithstanding -- but the Dodgers’ starting rotation has a chance to have the finest postseason any starting staff has ever had.
