World Series 2020: Dates, TV Schedule and More for MLB Championship

After consecutive nights of Game 7 matchups with a trip to the World Series on the line, this year's Fall Classic matchup is officially set with the Los Angeles Dodgers set to take on the Tampa Bay Rays.

From a financial standpoint, it's the ultimate David vs. Goliath battle.

The Dodgers had the second-highest payroll in the majors, behind only the New York Yankees, while the Rays checked in 28th on that list, ahead of only the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles, according to Spotrac.

That said, the Dodgers actually have far more homegrown talent on their roster than the Rays, so the idea that they are simply out to buy a championship is a misplaced narrative.

The Dodgers led the majors in home runs and runs scored during the regular season, and they back their star-studded lineup with a deep staple of starting pitching talent. The biggest question is the bullpen, with uncertainty in the ninth-inning role.

Meanwhile, the Rays' biggest strength is their bullpen and the trio of Charlie Morton, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell in the starting rotation. They strike out a ton and have hit just .209 as a team this postseason, but they've shown time and again they can crush a mistake, and no one is swinging a hotter bat right now than Randy Arozarena.

Can the Dodgers finally get over the hump and win their first World Series title since 1988, or will the Rays hoist the trophy for the first time in their second-ever trip to the Fall Classic?

There's a fun week ahead, baseball fans.

2020 World Series Schedule

Game 1, Oct. 20: Rays vs. Dodgers, 8:09 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 2, Oct. 21: Rays vs. Dodgers, 8:08 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 3, Oct. 23: Dodgers vs. Rays, 8:08 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 4, Oct. 24: Dodgers vs. Rays, 8:08 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 5*, Oct. 25: Dodgers vs. Rays, 8:08 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 6*, Oct. 26: Rays vs. Dodgers, 8:08 p.m. ET (Fox)

Game 7*, Oct. 27: Rays vs. Dodgers, 8:09 p.m. ET (Fox)

*If necessary

World Series Odds

Dodgers: -200

Rays: +160

Odds via DraftKings sportsbook.

Odds and Ends

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Just like the Division Series and Championship Series, this year's World Series will be played at a neutral site, with all of the games set to be held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, the new home of the Texas Rangers.

The Dodgers were 22-8 on the road during the regular season, while the Rays went 20-11, so the lack of home-field advantage shouldn't be a major factor for either team.

Speculatively, it looks like Clayton Kershaw is lined up to take the ball in Game 1 for the Los Angeles Dodgers after Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and Julio Urias all pitched on Sunday and Walker Buehler worked six shutout innings in Game 6 of the NLCS on Saturday.

After being scratched from the NLCS Game 3 start with a back issue, Kershaw took the ball in Game 4 and allowed seven hits and four earned runs in five innings to leave the Dodgers on the brink of elimination down 3-1 in the series.

His health and performance might be the single biggest X-factor on either side.

Cody Bellinger also suffered a dislocated shoulder celebrating his go-ahead home run on Sunday, though he stayed in the game. That will be worth monitoring in the days to come as well.

On the Tampa Bay side, Tyler Glasnow is the probable starter in Game 1 after last taking the ball in Game 5 of the ALCS ahead of Blake Snell and Charlie Morton.

The towering right-hander is 2-1 with a 4.66 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 19.1 innings in his four starts this postseason, one of which was in the role of opener in Game 5 of the ALDS.

The Rays have overcome myriad injuries throughout the season but don't have any pressing injury issues heading into the World Series.

Their biggest question mark might be whether Austin Meadows (37 PA, .114 BA, .448 OPS) and Brandon Lowe (57 PA, .115 BA, .366 OPS) can snap out of it and provide some sort of production from their key spots in the batting order.

Despite their differences, these two teams match up extremely well on paper, and this has all the makings of a classic seven-game series.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.