2017 World Series Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Houston Astros
Published October 23, 2017 by Sol FH
Game 1 of the Fall Classic gets underway Tuesday Night at 1:05 GMT at Dodger Stadium.
It is finally time. The 2017 Major League Baseball World Series is about to get underway and what an incredible road it has been to get this far. This is the very first time that these teams have met in the World Series, so it feels fresh and leaves a lot of debate surrounding which team will be victorious when all is said and done.
The Road to the World Series
The LA Dodgers ended the regular season this year with the best record in the Major Leagues. They finished with 104 wins and 58 losses for a percentage of 642. The Astros were the third best team in the league at the end of the season with 101 wins and 61 losses for a win percentage of 623.
The Dodgers did have an easier time with their playoff opponents, and in the NLCS they downed the Chicago Cubs in five games, including an 11-1 win in Game 5. LA only lost one post-season game and look like the dominant force heading into Tuesday Nights' Game 1. The Astros were never far behind the Dodgers throughout the year but they did face some adversity in the playoffs. In the ALCS, they were almost taken out by the New York Yankees but were able to hold them off to win Game 7.
History of World Series Championships
This is the first World Series that the Astros are a part of since relocating to the American League in 2013. It was only back in 2005 that the Astros appeared in a World Series, but in that season they lost to the Chicago White Sox, and have never won the Big Show.
In contrast, the Dodgers have won the World Series five times since moving to Los Angeles in 1958, but the last time they were in the series was back in 1988. This is quite a drought for both teams, which should add to the excitement of this year's finale.
Schedule
The series is scheduled for seven games, that is, if it needs to go that far. As mentioned, Game 1 will be played Tuesday Night in LA, as well as Game 2, which takes place the night following at the same time. The series heads over to Houston for games 3, 4, and 5 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday Night, before tentatively returning to Los Angeles to close out games 6 and 7.
It really feels like the Dodgers will be too much for the Astros, but since they have never played against one another on this stage, it is really anyone's series. Getting the Game 1 win at home will be the top priority on the Dodgers' minds, followed up by a Game 2 victory. The Dodgers were absolutely incredible at home this season going 57-24 at Dodgers Stadium. The thing is that the Astros were actually better on-the-road this year going 53-28.
Game 1 Preview
Starting on the mound for the Dodgers in Game 1 is their big left-handed pitcher, Clayton Kershaw. He was the best starting pitcher in the entire league this year and has an 18-4 record with 202 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.31. In the playoffs, Kershaw has an ERA of 3.63 through 17 1/3 innings.
For the Astros, they are also going with their big gun lefty, as Dallas Keuchel gets the start. He went 14-5 this year with an ERA of 2.90 and 125 strikeouts. Keuchel won the Cy Young award in 2015 and will be making his first start in a World Series game tonight.
World Series Online Betting Odds
There is a lot on the line both on and off the field this year. Bettors will be able to make calculated bets on hundreds of markets offered by the leading online sportsbooks, including brands like 888sport and 10Bet Sportsbook. 888 Sport is offering dozens of betting options and in Game 1 they have posted their odds in favor of the Dodgers at 1.61 and for the Astros at 2.40. At 10Bet, odds are also in favor of the home team at 1.57 for the Dodgers and the Astros at 2.40.
