After convincingly triumphing over the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series and staging a remarkable comeback victory against the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series, the Toronto Blue Jays have secured their spot in the World Series. Their opponents will be the Los Angeles Dodgers, considered the Final Boss in this showdown.
The Blue Jays have captured the nation’s attention with their exceptional performance this season, but they face a formidable challenge against the powerhouse Dodgers. A comparison of the two teams through five charts reveals a potential clash between a dominant force and an underdog.
In terms of finances, the Dodgers hold the top spot with a whopping $350 million US payroll for the past season, while the Blue Jays follow closely behind with a $255 million US payroll. Interestingly, despite the significant spending gap of $95 million US between the two teams, the Dodgers won one fewer regular season game than the Blue Jays.
When it comes to home runs, the spotlight shines on Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers, who boasts an impressive 55 home runs on his own, overshadowing the combined totals of George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. from the Blue Jays. However, Toronto excelled in batting average and on-base percentage during the regular season.
Pitching prowess favors the Dodgers in the post-season, with three of their top pitchers maintaining an impressive earned run average (ERA) of under two. Kevin Gausman of the Blue Jays stands out as the only pitcher with a stronger ERA than Ohtani.
The head-to-head matchup history between the Blue Jays and the Dodgers has been in favor of the latter, with Toronto securing only a single win in recent encounters. The Dodgers, with their deep playoff experience, are aiming for a back-to-back World Series title and have consistently performed well in the post-season since 2013.
As the Blue Jays prepare to face the Dodgers in the upcoming World Series, Canadian sports fans are hopeful for a historic victory. The nation has not celebrated a major league championship since the Toronto Raptors’ triumph in 2019, and the Blue Jays have a chance to overcome the odds and bring home another championship. Game 1 is scheduled to kick off at Rogers Centre on Friday at 8 p.m.
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