I’ll cut to the chase. Friday’s game between the 68-48 American League East first-place Toronto Blue Jays and the 66-49 National League West first-place Los Angeles Dodgers will kick a three-game series that could very well be a preview to the 2025 World Series.
For Dodgers fans, the good news is that all three games will be played at MLB’s third-oldest ballpark, Dodger Stadium (1962), behind only Boston’s Fenway Park (1912) and Chicago’s Wrigley Field (1914).
The slightly less good news is that, as noted, Toronto has won two more games and lost one fewer than the Dodgers, although with 46 and 47 regular-season games remaining respectively, this isn’t really a factor – for now. But with the NL West second-place San Diego Padres playing ridiculously well right now having won eight of their last 10 games (to the Dodgers 5-5), the Friars now trail the Dodgers by a less-than-comfortable 2.0 games in the division.
Additional good (great) news for the Dodgers faithful is that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will have 37-year-old future first-ballot Hall of Fame left-hander Clayton Kershaw on the mound for his division-leading team, and Blue Jays manager John Schneider will counter with 41-year-old fellow future first-ballot Hall of Fame right-hander Max Scherzer on the mound for his division-leading team.
(Jon SooHoo)
(Getty Images)
While there is no denying that the two future Hall of Famers are in the twilight of their respective careers and not what they once were, a matchup between a pair of three-time Cy Young Award winners with a combined 19 All-Star appearances and four World Series rings is must see TV.
The Dodgers have an all-time record of 17-10 against the Blue Jays (62.96%) and have won seven of their last 10 meetings against them (70%).
Needless to say, if you are lucky enough to have a ticket for any – or all – of this weekend’s three-game potential World Series preview, you literally have the hottest ticket(s) in town.
Play Ball!
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