World Series Predictions & Preview: Making the Case for Dodgers, Blue Jays to Win Fall Classic

And then there were two - the Los Angeles Dodgers (-220) will travel to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays (+184) for Game 1 on Friday, and it's time to drop my best World Series predictions. 

While sportsbooks have the Dodgers as the favorite by the World Series odds prior to first pitch, there are plenty of reasons why the Fall Classic may come down to the wire. Let's break down each team's path to the Commissioner's Trophy and make our World Series predictions before the chaos officially begins.

🔮 World Series predictions 2025

Follow all of our MLB picks for every game of the 2025 World Series.

🌴 Why the Dodgers will win the World Series

Aces galore: It's no secret - the Dodgers have the best pitching staff in baseball. Built around striking opponents out, Los Angeles owned a 9.4 K/9 rate during the regular season, which was the best in the league. In the postseason, they've been even better as a pitching staff overall, owning a 10.2 K/9 rate, highlighted by Game 1 starter Blake Snell, who has 28 strikeouts in 21 innings in the playoffs. Tyler Glasnow, an ace on any other team, leads the postseason with a 0.68 ERA. Roki Sasaki leading the postseason in saves is just the cherry on top. If the Dodgers are going to win the Commissioner's Trophy and repeat, their pitching staff will be a big reason why. They play a huge role in my World Series predictions.

Star power: You don't need me to tell you that Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernandez are good. This team is loaded with talent, and it's been on full display throughout the postseason. The Dodgers were top five in baseball in SLG, HR, AVG, RBI, Barrel %, EV, and wOBA in the regular season, and they've continued slugging their way to another berth in the World Series. In pretty much every metric, Los Angeles is elite. The Blue Jays' pitching staff will have its hands full in a seven-game series.

Shohei's on the plane: When you have arguably the best player in the history of baseball, you're going to have a good time. Remember, Ohtani was linked to Toronto two years ago - and reportedly nearly signed - but will now return to the city and country for a different reason.

While he's already won a World Series in Los Angeles, I can guarantee he won't want to give the "what could have been" narrative an inch. When you have the best performance in postseason history by way of 10 strikeouts and three home runs, clinching a berth to the World Series in the process, Ohtani will be feeling himself in Game 1 and beyond.

🍁 Why the Blue Jays will win the World Series

Contact, contact, contact: While the Dodgers' strength is striking batters out, they'll be going up against a team that simply does not swing and miss. Toronto struck out the second least of any team during the regular season (17.8%) and features a star in Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has gone down swinging just three times this entire postseason. The Blue Jays ultimately led the majors in xBA, hits, batted balls, and OBP during the regular season, and they present a unique obstacle for this vaunted Dodgers pitching staff. While Los Angeles has the star power, this Jays lineup is incredibly deep and has already worn down one of the best pitching staffs in the league in the Seattle Mariners.

Defense matters: In a battle of contrasting styles, Toronto owns some of the best gloves in the bigs. With five Gold Glove nominations this year alone, the defense of the Blue Jays has to factor into my World Series predictions and is a true difference-maker across a seven-game series. Toronto had four players in the top 25 this year in outs above average, and Alejandro Kirk continues to be one of the best defensive catchers in baseball. For an elite offensive team like the Dodgers, limiting mistakes while taking away hits will be paramount if the Blue Jays want to win this series.

Bo and Vlad reunite: While this has been Vladdy's moment, welcoming back Bo Bichette - who was second in the majors in hits at the end of the regular season - is a massive addition to this deep Blue Jays lineup. Bichette has missed the entire postseason due to a knee injury, but he'll provide an instant spark at the top of the lineup. Along with having the best xBA (.307) of his career in 2025, he also struck out the least of his seven-year tenure with the Jays.

More than anyone, Vladdy wants this. You could see it in his teary eyes when the Blue Jays finally clinched. You can see it in his continuous love for Toronto, for Canada. His play has done the talking, too - he leads all players in the postseason in home runs (6), batting average (.442), and OPS (1.440). The Blue Jays go as Vladdy Jr. goes, and he'll be their X-Factor in the World Series.

✅ World Series predictions & best bets

This series has the makings of an absolute classic, and I couldn't be more excited for first pitch ... and to make some cash along the way.

I've already placed a small bet on Freddie Freeman (+2000) leading the series in home runs; he has a knack for the big stage (just look at the World Series last year), and 16 of his 24 homers this year came against righties - the entire Blue Jays rotation is made up of righties. Yet the best value play is undoubtedly the Dodgers -1.5 (-116) with FanDuel.

I'll also be hedging here and placing a small wager on the Blue Jays to win the series in Game 7 (+590) for a hefty return if Vladdy and Co. finish the job at home.