Dodgers - Red Sox Meet in Historic World Series
We get Boston against Los Angeles in the World Series, the way it used to be the Celtics against the Lakers in all those NBA Finals. But this time, it's Boston against Los Angeles for the first time in baseball history.
Once the Dodgers were the Brooklyn Robins, and the Red Sox played the Robins in the World Series in 1916. But after that the Red Sox never played a Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. It has taken all this time for two of the sport's iconic franchises to meet up in October, the way they will meet up at Fenway on Tuesday night for Game 1.
No small market vs. big market this time. Instead, it's the biggest payroll in baseball this season in Boston against the third biggest in LA.
The Red Sox had the best home-field record in the sport this season. They won 108 games during the regular season and have now beaten the Yankees in four games and the Astros in five this postseason.
The Dodgers â they were 16-26 on May 16 â won 92 games and make it to the World Series in back-to-back years the way Tommy Lasorda's Dodgers did in 1977 and '78.
In Game 1, Clayton Kershaw will get to pitch in Fenway for the first time in his career. Lefthander Chris Sale starts for Boston.
Of course, there are even more storylines than these. In 2004, as the Red Sox were on their way to winning their first World Series since 1918, it was Dave Roberts who produced the most famous stolen base in October history. It came in the bottom of the ninth of Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees at Fenway Park, on a night when the Yankees were up a run and three outs away from a sweep.
"It's great for baseball," Roberts said about the World Series matchup. "Two storied franchises going head-to-head. It's going to be great for baseball."
So yeah, we get the best World Series now. One with just about everything except Bird and Magic.