The 2018 World Series is good to go on Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Boston had the best record in the Majors this season and that means they will host the first two games and the final two, if necessary.
The Red Sox meanwhile were easily the best team in baseball this year. They finished with a franchise best 108 wins this season and have won three titles since 2004. Boston swept the Cardinals in 2004, blanked the Rockies in 2007 and last won in 2013 when they defeated St. Louis (again) 4-2.
With Boston aces Chris Sale and David Price opening the World Series at Fenway Park, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts will likely field in a line-up heavy with right handed hitters to combat the Red Sox’s left hander starters.
That means Cody Bellinger, Yasmani Grandal, Max Muncy and Joc Pederson will be called upon to pinch hit for Los Angeles. When the series shifts to Los Angeles, they are expected to start when the Red Sox open with Nathan Eovaldi and Rick Porcello. Here is our projected lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers for Games 1&2:
The Red Sox will not have the designated hitter when the series shifts to Dodger Stadium so with Cora committing to start JD Martinez in every game, one of his key players will have to sit out. That guy could probably be recently named ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley Jr. who delivered the big runs against the Houston Astros. Here is our projected line-up for the Boston Red Sox:
The Dodgers have announced that they will open the series with ace Clayton Kershaw on top of the mound. The three-time Cy Young winner is the best pitcher on Los Angeles’ side. Although Clayton pitched in Saturday’s Game 7 against the Brewers, he threw only 15 pitches or an equivalent of a bullpen session. Kershaw will be making his first ever start at Fenway Park.
For the Red Sox, the American League champions will go with their own pitching ace Chris Sale in Game 1. Sale was supposed to start for the Red Sox in Game 5 of their previous series against the Astros. However, Sale was hospitalized due to a stomach illness and was scratched from that game..
Boston is scheduled to start David Price opposite Ryu in Game 2. The other Red Sox starters are Nathan Eovaldi and Rick Porcello but the Red Sox didn’t announce who would start when the series moves to L.A. because they might need help from Eovaldi and/or Porcello off the bullpen in Games 1 and 2.
While the Dodgers came to the 2017 World Series with a 104-win season, they won just 92 this year and didn’t clinch their sixth straight divisional title until their 163rd regular season game. On the other hand, the Red Sox won a franchise best 108 regular season games this year to lead the Majors. Mainly because of that, the Red Sox have been installed as favorites to win the 2018 World Series. Here are the latest odds as of 10/22/18:
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Boston Red Sox
2018 World Series
Series Moneyline Odds: Dodgers +140, Red Sox -160
Odds from Betonline.ag as of 10/22/18
Likewise, the Red Sox are favored to win Game 1 at -140 while the Dodgers came back as underdogs at +130 as of 10/22/18 at Betonline.ag. This marks the first time in 199 games dating back to July 24, 2012 where the Dodgers are not favorites in a game that Clayton Kershaw started.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox have been solid with Chris Sale on the mound, winning 11 out of 13 games where Sale was their starter. Boston is also 4-0 with Sale starting in Game 1 of a series. The Red Sox have lost just 2 of their last 14 World Series games and have won 6 out of their last 7 World Series games played at Fenway Park.
Both these teams are playing fantastic baseball right now And we’ve zeroed in on a couple of factors that could help decide this series. For the Dodgers, it’s got to be Matt Kemp who has barely played in this postseason with just two starts in 11 games with only 15 at bats. With a DH spot in the games played in Boston, manager Dave Roberts can forget about Kemp’s poor defensive profile and put him in the game without reservation and hope that the 34 year old veteran clicks. Kemp had a .818 OPS and 21 home runs this season to make the National League all-star squad. If his bats are not rusty, he should be a factor in the World Series for the Dodgers.
Through his first 22 starts, Sale had an ERA of 2.04 with 207 strikeouts but after being placed on the DL twice, he hasn’t been the same. Sale’s fastball averaged 95 mph through August 12. A month later, it’s average was clocked at 92.8 mph. In Game 1 of the ALCS, it was recorded at 91.8 mph. Without his trademark velocity, Sale’s margin of error is smaller, making the Red Sox more vulnerable. If he can find it in Game 1, there may be no stopping the Red Sox.
After some tense moments against the Yankees and a loss to the Astros in Game 1 of the ALCS, the Red Sox have looked every bit the dominant team they were during the regular season. They outscored the Astros by 13 total runs in the last four games of the series and averaged an astounding 6.75 runs per game. Don’t forget that Boston dispatched two powerhouses to get here. No doubt the Red Sox can dispose a third one. Boston is an offensive juggernaut and if their pitching holds, they should be looking at another World Series win.
We’re picking the Boston Red Sox to win the 2018 World Series.
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