Major League Baseball Playoffs are in full swing, and only two teams remain in the race for the coveted Commissioner’s Trophy after capturing the American and National League pennants.
The World Series currently stands at 3-2 in favor of the Toronto Blue Jays over the Los Angeles Dodgers, the first time since 1993 that the series has included games played in Canada. Game three ended in dramatic fashion after 18 innings, when Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run to give Los Angeles a 6-5 victory.
The Dodgers represent the National League, while the Blue Jays carry the banner for the American League. The Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, and the Blue Jays won a seven-game battle against the Seattle Mariners to advance.
This postseason has featured some of the most electric and unique matchups of teams and players we have seen in a long time. While teams like the Yankees, Astros, and Dodgers are often playoff mainstays, the Mariners, Brewers, and Blue Jays are teams with past success that are viewed as rebuilding franchises.
” It’s definitely a lot more unique than other years, mostly because of teams like the Brewers and Mariners, they both just broke out this year and made it to the playoffs, which they haven’t some past years,” freshman and baseball fan Ezra Shepski said.
The Seattle Mariners, one of the most exciting and entertaining teams in the league, reached their deepest playoff run in 25 years. They finished first in the American League West for the first time since 2001, when they later fell to the Yankees in the ALCS.
Seattle is led by home run leading catcher and MVP candidate Cal Raleigh, Gold Glove finalist and 30/30 club member, center fielder Julio Rodriguez and ace pitcher Bryan Woo.
The Mariners made it to the ALCS off of a thrilling five-game series in the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers, winning game five at home to move one step closer to their first World Series appearance. However, their hopes were cut short after losing in seven games to the Blue Jays.
“This has been so magical, they’ve never been here this far before. They’re just one win away from the World Series, the entire city rallies around this team, and it’s been so much fun,” Mariners super-fan and freshman Marshall Laskowski said.
The Toronto Blue Jays now stand as the only representative of the American League left, fueled by dominance on the mound and high-powered bats averaging 6.45 runs per playoff game, the most by far from any team. Toronto is led by ALCS MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr. , veteran ace pitcher Max Scherzer, and centerfielder George Springer.
The Blue Jays made the World Series off of a 3-1 series win over division rival the New York Yankees, and an electric series win over the Seattle Mariners that took all seven games to determine the champion of the American League.
Their opponent, the Los Angeles Dodgers, are in the midst of what many consider an MLB dynasty. A World Series title this year would give them their third championship in the last six seasons. The Dodgers are headlined by international superstar Shohei Ohtani, infielder Freddie Freeman and outfielder Mookie Betts.
Los Angeles has made it to the series off of high-powered offense and elite pitching from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and Ohtani. The Dodgers swept the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card round, beat the Phillies in four games, and then swept the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS to claim their seat in the World Series.
The World Series will continue until one team wins four games, with a potential game seven scheduled for Nov. 1. With both teams playing their hearts out each and every game at the highest level, this series is shaping up to be a thrilling finish.
