Who Are the Dodgers Playing in the World Series? Full Breakdown of Opponent

The Los Angeles Dodgers made quick work of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS — sweeping the No. 1 seed en route to a well-deserved week of rest.

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Over the last few days, the team has been waiting to see which American League ballclub would meet them in the Fall Classic. As of Monday evening, the wait is officially over.

The Toronto Blue Jays outlasted the Seattle Mariners in Game 7 of the ALCS by a score of 4-3. It'll be the Blue Jays representing the American League versus the Big Blue Machine in Los Angeles.

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There's a lot to unpack with Toronto and its journey to this point. The Blue Jays will be in the World Series for the first time since 1993. The Dodgers may have a sizable edge in terms of experience — though the Blue Jays will not be taken lightly.

Blue Jays Have a Top-Heavy Pitching Staff

Toronto's main weakness on the surface is its pitching staff.

The team charitably has three capable starters, one coming off an injury, and another in his 40s. Kevin Gausman is a guy the Dodgers have seen for years. His splitter is one of the best in baseball. The team's No. 2 starter is a rookie in Trey Yesavage. He's been excellent throughout the playoffs, and like Gausman, relies on a nasty splitter.

From there, it's a bit of a mixed bag. Shane Bieber has been decent though not the overpowering force he once was in Cleveland. Chris Bassitt came out of the bullpen in Game 7, and it's still uncertain as to whether he can start a game moving forward. Ex-Dodger Max Scherzer intensely got through 5.2 innings in Game 4 where he allowed only two earned runs. At 41 years of age, one has to wonder how much he has left in the tank.

The bullpen has also been up-and-down. There's a host of arms Toronto uses. However, none are overly effective sans closer Jeff Hoffman and high-leverage reliever Louis Varland.

Blue Jays Have Some Similarities to the Brewers

Toronto plays the game with terrific energy. It's a team chock-full of grinders — guys that will give quality at bats by not chasing and fouling pitches off. In essence, they'll try to make the starter work exceptionally hard so the Blue Jays can get into opposing bullpens.

Throughout the postseason, this is a team that has gotten big hits from a host of different players. Ernie Clement has come out of nowhere to be a force. George Springer brings elite postseason experience at the top of the order. Daulton Varsho can slug with real potency. Throw in Addison Barger, Nathan Lukes, and Alejandro Kirk, and this team is utterly relentless.

Should the Blue Jays get Bo Bichette back for the World Series, the lineup figures to be even deeper. There's a real case to be made that this will be the best hitting team the Dodgers have faced all postseason long.

Dodgers Have to Contain Vladimir Guerrero Jr

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has masterful control of the strike zone. He's been one of the more difficult players to strike out — largely based on elite hand-eye coordination. One of the purest hitters in the sport, Guerrero Jr. is an excellent bad-ball hitter just like his father was.

The Dodgers cannot let Guerrero Jr. beat them. He's easily the best hitter Toronto has, and if traffic is on base ahead of him, Los Angeles has to be extremely careful as to how they pitch him. This is the type of guy that can carry a team in a series — he's that good.

*Due to the Blue Jays winning the ALCS, they will enjoy home-field advantage over the Dodgers with Game 1 starting at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on Friday evening in Toronto.

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