Despite all the craziness and unknowns surrounding the 2020 MLB season, we wound up with the two best teams in baseball battling it out in the World Series as the Tampa Bay Rays take on the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers are in the World Series for the third time in four years, while the Rays are back in the Fall Classic for just the second time in franchise history, and it should come as little surprise the Dodgers are the betting favorites.
We break down the baseball odds with our best Rays vs Dodgers picks and predictions for Game 1 on Tuesday, October 20 (8:09 p.m. ET).
Tampa Bay Rays vs Los Angeles Dodgers betting preview
Odds to Win Series
Rays: +175
Dodgers: -210
Starting Pitchers
Tyler Glasnow RHP (2-1, 4.66 ERA) vs Clayton Kershaw LHP (2-1, 3.32 ERA)
Tyler Glasnow has been a strikeout machine all season long and the postseason has been no different. Glasnow’s 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings would have led the MLB if he had pitched just a couple more innings in the regular season, and in the playoffs, he's racked up 25 punchouts in 19 1-3 innings. But while he makes people swing and miss a ton, when hitters connect, the ball usually goes a long way.
On the other side, we get to hear about “Postseason Clayton Kershaw” for one more series. Kershaw showed us an uptick in velocity on his fastball during the regular season and it resulted in another fantastic year for the lefty. But after giving up four runs on seven hits in his last start against the Braves, are Kershaw’s postseason demons returning?
Weather
Game 1 will be played under the retractable roof of Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX. Check back tomorrow to see if the roof will be open, and be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our MLB weather info.
Side Pick
Both the Dodgers and Rays come into the World Series coming off of dramatic Game 7 wins in their respective League Championship Series. The Rays survived a near-collapse after being up 3-0 on the Astros, while the Dodgers had to claw back from a 3-1 against the Braves.
The Dodgers were the best team in baseball all year, going 43-17 in the 60-game shortened season with a +136 run differential. To put that run differential in perspective, the next closest team was the Padres at +84. Meanwhile, the Rays were the AL’s best, going 40-20 with a +60 run differential.
The Rays arguably have the better pitching staff, defense and managing. While the Dodgers have the much better offense and Mookie Betts keeping every fly ball in the yard. But the Rays have Randy “I think I’m Babe Ruth” Arozarena.
Simply put, this should be a closely contested World Series, but as for Game 1, it’s hard not to like the value with the Rays. Glasnow is pitching very well, faces a Dodgers team that is striking out nearly nine times a game, and has the support of a fantastic bullpen. Whereas for the Dodgers, it always seems like Dave Roberts isn’t sure when is the right time to pull Kershaw. Take the Rays to strike first in the World Series.
PREDICTION: Rays (+155)
First Five Inning Total Pick
The Total for Game 1 is not surprisingly a very low 7.5. Pretty much expected with Kershaw and Glasnow on the bump, but that might be a little too low.
As mentioned, Glasnow has had a bit of a problem with the long ball, particularly this postseason. The right-hander has only allowed 17 hits in 19 1-3 innings, but six of those hits have left the yard and the Dodgers are coming off an NLCS where they hit 16 dingers in seven games.
While Kershaw will probably rack up a good number of strikeouts against an aggressive swinging Rays squad, they seem to come up with timely hits more than anyone. And history suggests Kershaw is liable to give up a couple of runs in this one. Take the Over on the relatively low five inning total.
PREDICTION: Over 4.0 (-104)
Total Bases Prop Pick
This wouldn’t be a real World Series betting preview if we didn’t talk a little more about Randy Arozarena. The Rays’ rookie has had an otherworldly performance this postseason. Arozarena is two hits away from breaking the rookie record for most hits in a single postseason. He's hitting .382 with seven home runs and 10 RBIs in 14 postseason games this year.
But more importantly, for our betting purposes, Arozarena has had two or more total bases in 11 of those 14 games and we keep getting plus money to bet the Over. Until this guy starts dramatically cooling down, expect us to be betting this throughout the Fall Classic.
PREDICTION: Randy Arozarena Over 1.5 Total Bases (+127)
Rays vs Dodgers betting card
- Rays (+155)
- Over 4.0 First Five Innings (-104)
- Randy Arozarena Over 1.5 Total Bases (+127)
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Where can I bet on the World Series?
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