World Series betting preview: Dodgers the overwhelming favorites

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Amid the fuss over the volatility of an expanded postseason with abbreviated series, the two undisputed best teams in baseball will meet in the World Series - a rarity in the wild-card era.

The Dodgers (+300) and Rays (+600) - the only teams to reach 40 wins in MLB's 60-game season - were the betting favorites to win the 2020 Fall Classic, and while bettors steered clear as a result of the altered playoff format, those that laid the chalk are seeing their faith rewarded.

Ahead of Game 1 on Tuesday, the Dodgers are overwhelming favorites to end a string of disappointing postseason failures and win the franchise's first World Series title since 1988.

Rays bettors, like myself - I have them at +2000 to win the World Series from before the start of the season - will find it harder to hedge with the Dodgers opening as overwhelming favorites to win the Fall Classic, and would be better suited grabbing the Dodgers closer to even money should Tampa grab a series lead. Los Angeles bettors can hedge away before Game 1.

Let's see how these teams match up in this series.

Starting pitching

While these are not confirmed, the listed starters make the most sense based on a normal rest schedule from their previous outing. The Rays could opt for an opener in front of Yarbrough, while the Dodgers' Game 2 starter is more up in the air. Urias threw three innings in Game 7 so a start there would come on short rest. A Game 2 start for Buehler would also come on short rest, so it's possible Roberts could opt for a May/Gonsolin bullpen game instead.

A big advantage the Dodgers had in the NLCS was the Braves' struggles against left-handed pitching. They slashed just .235/.329/.425 against southpaws in the regular season, while the Rays were more efficient with a .237/.340/.455 line. Kershaw and Urias are both southpaws. The Rays have two of their own in Snell and Yarbrough, who will get a lineup that had worse hitting and power numbers against lefties.

The Rays typically get more innings from their starters, with all four going at least five in 12 of their 13 postseason starts - the lone exception being Glasnow pitching on three days' rest against the Yankees. The Dodgers have had to do more mixing and matching. Buehler's struggles are certainly worth noting here - he put in his best outing of the postseason in Game 6 against the Braves, and if he can solve his command issues, the gap between these two staffs will be marginal. But until we actually see sustained success in that area, the Rays hold the edge here.

Advantage: Rays

Bullpen

The Rays will rely on a heavy dose of Nick Anderson and Pete Fairbanks - two of the best relievers in baseball - while we'll also see a heavy dose of Diego Castillo, who's been nothing short of terrific in this postseason. Castillo has allowed just one run in his last 13 outings, tossing 15 1/3 innings.

Kevin Cash has a lot of flexibility and depth in this area, with many of his relievers capable of being stretched out over a couple of innings. He's also got a terrific feel for his relievers. After Anderson, Fairbanks, and Castillo, John Curtiss is another name to keep an eye on. He was roughed up in his first appearance of these playoffs but has responded excellently. He's allowed just one run in six innings since, appearing four times out of the 'pen in the ALCS. Adding to an embarrassment of riches in this department, Ryan Thompson and Aaron Loup have combined to throw eight scoreless innings of relief in the postseason.

That gives them a significant edge over a Dodgers 'pen that is a clear area of concern. Blake Treinen, Roberts' most effective reliever, arguably wouldn't be a top-three option out of the 'pen for Tampa. Brusdar Graterol, the young and hard-throwing righty is option two for Roberts, and while he throws heat - averaging 99 mph on the gun between his sinker and fastball - he gives up a ton of contact, with his 15.2 whiff percentage the sixth-worst mark in MLB this season. The two combined to allow seven runs over 8 2/3 innings in the NLCS.

Behind them, the options are underwhelming. May has proven to be effective in relief and should get some opportunities here depending on how Roberts maps out his rotation. Kenley Jansen is coming off a disappointing season by his standards, with a 3.33 ERA bellied by a 4.18 xFIP. He's been effective in spurts in this postseason but doesn't provide much flexibility with a one-inning cap out of the 'pen.

Advantage: Rays

Hitting

While the Rays hold a significant bullpen advantage in this series, the biggest discrepancy between the two teams comes in the batting department. The Dodgers boast one of the league's most lethal lineups, leading MLB this season in slugging (.483), ISO (.227), and wRC+ (122). The Rays ranked 15th (.425), ninth (.187), and ninth (109) in those categories, respectively. Los Angeles was also second with a .350 wOBA, with Tampa 13th (.325), while only the Astros posted a lower K percentage than the Dodgers (20.3%) this season.

The Rays' primary source of offense in these playoffs has come via the long ball. Tampa leads all teams with 25 home runs in the postseason, seven more than the Dodgers (third). While it's a testament to the power throughout the Rays' lineup, it also speaks to the fact they struggle to manufacture runs. Among teams with at least 100 at-bats in the playoffs, only the Marlins have managed a lower batting average and OBP than the Rays (.209 and .295, respectively). The Dodgers, at .256 and .355, respectively, crush both those marks.

If the Dodgers can find a way to suppress Tampa's power, this could be a short series.

Advantage: Dodgers

The Dodgers' lineup has the sort of power and contact ability to make any lineup look pedestrian, but when betting this series price you have to factor in value. While the Rays' edge in pitching could realistically be erased by the Dodgers' bats, I'm not willing to lay -200 to find out.

Instead, give me the team with a stable of terrific pitchers - and a manager who knows how to use them - at the generous price of +160. With Glasnow and Kershaw expected to face off in Game 1, there could also be an opportunity to hedge should the Rays jump out to an early series lead.

Pick: Rays (+160)

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.