MLB: World Series preview & picks

#1 Los Angeles Dodgers (43-17, 9-3) vs #1 Tampa Bay Rays (40-20, 9-5): This year’s World Series features the two best teams in baseball, as they have been all season long. This season has been one for the books with all that it has entailed. A multi-month hiatus following spring training, into a shortened schedule, the Dodgers and Rays have led the way in their respective leagues since day one. We're overly excited this year because truly the best team will take home the ultimate crown. LA has stars up and down their clubhouse while Tampa features everyday players that have come together and rose to the occasion since the restart. We give the advantage on the mound to LA: Clayton Kershaw gets the ball for Game 1 and will look to change the narrative of starters not being able to go deep into the game. Defensively, while Mookie Betts has come up with seamlessly endless web gems in the final few games of the NLCS, we give the advantage to Tampa Bay. They have been impressive night in and night out on the field. One through nine, the Rays have made fantastic outs and look to continue their suffocating defense going forward. We look for Betts, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, and Corey Seager to come up big the entire series for Dave Roberts’ club. On the other side, expect rookie Randy Arozarena to continue his eyebrow-raising performance and we’ll be interested to see which other guys step up for Tampa, whether it’s Brandon Lowe, Manuel Margot, Charle Morton, Blake Snell, or someone else. The 2020 edition of the World Series could very realistically go seven games, but most of us like the Dodgers in six.

Staff Picks:

Blake Stoll: Dodgers (6)

Charles Post: Dodgers (6)

Raven Martín: Rays (7)

Tyler Taylor: Dodgers (6)

MVP Picks:

1. Mookie Betts (Dodgers)

2. Randy Arozarena (Rays) 3. Cody Bellinger (Dodgers) 4. Austin Meadows (Rays) 5. Corey Seager (Dodgers)

Standout on the Mound:

1. Julio Urias (Dodgers) 2. Charlie Morton (Rays) 3. Walker Buehler (Dodgers) 4. Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers) 5. Blake Snell (Rays)

Photo Credit: NY Times.