Prior to the playoffs, ESPN had 25 experts make their predictions through the World Series. While two predicted champs have since been knocked out (the Yankees and San Diego Padres), the favorites are still around.
The Phillies drew the most support (12 votes), and the Mariners were up next (five), but the Dodgers landed in the third spot (four). And if ESPN revisited these picks, L.A. might climb even higher.
“It comes down to talent and experience—and no team has more of either than the Dodgers,” Jeff Passan, who predicted another L.A. win, wrote. “… With Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow healthy and lined up, they’ve got the highest-ceiling—and perhaps also highest-floor—rotation of any playoff team. And any lineup that starts with Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman promises to be tricky for even the best pitchers to navigate.”
There hasn’t been a repeat champion since the Yankees won three titles in a row from 1998 to 2000. If the Dodgers can fend off the Phillies, their star-studded roster just might have what it takes to pull off this rare feat.
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