World Series 2018: Early Odds, Guide for Fall Classic

The Boston Red Sox have had a little more than a day to get used to the idea that they are going to the World Series as the American League representative.

They handled the New York Yankees and Houston Astros with relative ease, beating the Bombers in four games in the American League Division Series and the Astros in five games in the ALCS.

However, the Red Sox still don't know who they are playing because the Milwaukee Brewers got the best of the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the NLCS. That 7-2 victory squared the series, and those two teams will play the decisive seventh game at Miller Park Saturday night.

The survivor of that game will go to Boston's Fenway Park Tuesday night for Game 1 of the World Series. The Red Sox will be decisive favorites.

They are -150 favorites to win the Fall Classic, per OddsShark, while the Dodgers are +190 and the Brewers are +650. (The odds on the Dodgers and Brewers were listed before Milwaukee's Game 6 victory, so the odds on the Dodgers are likely to go up and those on the Brewers are likely to come down.)

Those betting on the Red Sox will have to risk $150 to win $100. Those backing either National League team will risk $100 to win $190 on the Dodgers or $650 on the Brewers.

World Series Schedule

Tuesday, October 23 (Game 1): NL winner at Boston Red Sox, 8:09 p.m. ET

Wednesday, October 24 (Game 2): NL winner at Boston Red Sox, 8:09 p.m. ET

Friday, October 26 (Game 3): Boston Red Sox at NL winner, 8:09 p.m. ET

Saturday, October 27 (Game 4): Boston Red Sox at NL winner, 8:09 p.m. ET

Sunday, October 28 (Game 5, if necessary): Boston Red Sox at NL winner, 8:15 p.m. ET

Tuesday, October 30 (Game 6, if necessary): NL winner at Boston Red Sox, 8:09 p.m. ET

Wednesday, October 31 (Game 7, if necessary): NL winner at Boston Red Sox, 8:09 p.m. ET

All World Series games will be televised by Fox.

The Red Sox have been relentless from an offensive perspective in the postseason, particularly on the road. They were 2-0 at Yankee Stadium in the ALDS and 3-0 at Minute Maid Park in the ALCS.

Jackie Bradley Jr. had the big bat for the Red Sox against the Astros. He drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double that gave the Red Sox the lead in Game 2, and he belted a grand slam in Game 3 that broke open a tight game.

Bradley, usually the ninth-place hitter in the Boston lineup, hit the go-ahead two-run homer in Game 4, and that blow proved to be decisive.

Slugger J.D. Martinez, who hit 43 home runs and drove in a major-league best 130 runs during the regular season, hit a home run in the decisive fifth game of the ALCS, and third baseman Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer that gave the Red Sox a firm grip on that game.

Both home runs came against Houston ace Justin Verlander, and the Astros simply had no answers against the Boston pitching staff.

Alex Cora has not been hesitant to use his starting pitchers in key relief situations. Chris Sale came out of the bullpen against the Yankees, while Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi did the same against Houston. David Price, who was brilliant in Game 5, warmed up in the eighth and ninth innings of Game 4 and could have gone in during either of those innings, but Cora let struggling closer Craig Kimbrel finish.

That resulted in a heart-stopping win as left-fielder Andrew Benintendi made a diving catch of an Alex Bregman line drive on the final play of the game.

Kimbrel closed Game 5 in more convincing fashion, as he retired three of the four batters he faced and the Red Sox celebrated their pennant on the diamond and then in the locker room at Minute Maid.

The Red Sox will be attempting to win their fourth World Series since 2004. They swept the St. Louis Cardinals that year, and they swept the Colorado Rockies in 2007. They also beat the Cardinals in six games in 2013.

The Dodgers made it to the World Series a year ago, and they lost to the Astros in seven games. Their last World Series victory was a five-game triumph over the Oakland A's in 1988.

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

The Brewers have never won the World Series, and they haven't competed in the Fall Classic since 1982 when they were an American League team. The Brewers held a 3-2 lead in that series against the St. Louis Cardinals, but they fell in seven games.

If the Dodgers get to the World Series, they will depend on their balance and experience. Manager Dave Roberts, a hero in Boston for his stolen base in the 2004 ALCS triumph over the Yankees, will look to Justin Turner, Manny Machado and Max Muncy to supply the power to compete with the Red Sox.

If the Brewers win Game 7, Craig Counsell will need Christian Yelich, Jesus Aguilar and ex-Red Sox Travis Shaw to supply power. Those three combined for 103 regular-season home runs.

Neither the Brewers nor the Dodgers can start thinking about the Red Sox just yet, as they have business to attend to Saturday night at Miller Park.