The World Series is the finale of the Major League Baseball season and this year’s showdown will be between the LA Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox. This isn’t just a straight shootout though because it is a best-of-seven match series which starts in Boston on Tuesday. The Boston Red Sox are 4/6 odds with William Hill to take the Series* (betting odds taken on October 22nd, 2018 at 9:33 pm).
MLB World Series Winner Odds*
Boston Red Sox 4/6
LA Dodgers 5/4
* (betting odds taken from William Hill on October 22nd, 2018 at 9:33 pm)
LA Dodgers
The Dodgers missed out on the title in a dramatic World Series last year, going down in the deciding match against the Houston Astros. So that was heartbreak for them but to their credit, they are back in the showcase series and are 5/4 underdogs for it* (betting odds taken from October 22nd, 2018 at 9:33 pm)
They are one of those legendary teams of the sports having made twenty World Series’ appearances, a record bettered only by the New York Yankees. Unfortunately for them, their history in the World Series isn’t all that great as they W6 L13 from their previous visits to MLB World Final. Their most recent title was back in 1988.
During the regular season, they topped out the National League West with a W92 L71 record. That put them into the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves which the Dodgers breezed to a series win in four games in. That left them to face the Milwaukee Brewers for the National League pennant.
Their patience and nerve was tested all the way as the Series went to a deciding game back in Milwaukee. LA though were 5-1 up at the start of the seventh innings and it stayed that way. That National League success put them through to the World Series to face American League Championship winners the Red Sox.
Boston Red Sox
Even though the Boston Red Sox haven’t been to as many World Series as this year’s rivals the LA Dodgers have done during their respective history, the Red Sox have won it more times than the Dodgers. The Red Sox have claimed the World Series eight times from twelve appearances so that is a very strong strike record of a win percentage. Their last title was back in 2013. The Red Sox are 4/6 favouirtes to win it for a ninth time* (betting odds taken from October 22nd, 2018 at 9:33 pm)
The Red Sox won the American League East division title for the straight season and they posted at W108 L54 record for the season. That put them eight games ahead of the second-placed New York Yankees and the Red Sox were the first team during the regular season to get to 100 wins. They set more records along the way, setting a new franchise record of wins and it was the most regular season wins a side had produced since 2001.
In the Division Series, they topped out the New York Yankees in four games and then that put them through to the Natoinal League Championship Series against the Houston Astros. The Astros won last year’s World Series so this was some showdown. But Boston came out on top in five games to give them their fourth World Series appearance in the last 14 years.
Game Dates
It is the Boston Red Sox who gets home field advantage for the 2018 MLB World Series. That is because of holding a better record over the course of the regular season to that of the Dodgers.
Game 1 October 23rd (Fenway Park, Boston)
Game 2 October 24th (Fenway Park, Boston)
Game 3 October 26th (Dodger Stadium, LA)
Game 5 October 7th (Dodger Stadium, LA)
Game 6 October 30th (Fenway Park, Boston)
Game 7 October 31st (Fenway Park, Boston)
MLB World Series 2018 Predictions
The Dodgers were expected to get their hands on the title last season. The disappointment of not doing so has to be a bit of fuel on their fire to get the job done this time around. But they have a pretty long history of choking in the World Series
Three of the last four World Series events have been taken to seven games and that, of course, is probably down to the pressure of the situation. Without a shadow of a doubt, the Red Sox looked the more complete team over the course of the season and with that all important home field advantage.
The Dodgers will stick around with the likes of Kershaw pulling their weight, but you can’t help feeling that the batting power of Boston will figure him out over the course of the series. We are backing Boston in a 4-3 win.
