World Series 2020 Schedule of Dates, Game Times, TV Guide for Rays vs. Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays backed up their statuses as No. 1 seeds and advanced to the 2020 World Series. 

Neither team had an easy path to the Fall Classic, but they overcame whichever challenges were thrown in their directions. 

The Dodgers are the established postseason team in their third World Series in four years, but they have been unable to win the championship in that stretch.

Tampa Bay is the fifth different American League representative in the last six years, and they are the third AL foe to take on the Dodgers during their current run of success out of the National League. 

World Series Schedule

Game 1: Tuesday, October 20 (8:09 p.m. ET, Fox)

Game 2: Wednesday, October 21 (8:08 p.m. ET, Fox)

Game 3: Friday, October 23 (8:08 p.m. ET, Fox)

Game 4: Saturday, October 24 (8:08 p.m. ET, Fox)

Game 5 (if necessary): Sunday, October 25 (8:08 p.m. ET, Fox)

Game 6 (if necessary): Tuesday, October 27 (8:08 p.m. ET, Fox)

Game 7 (if necessary): Wednesday, October 28 (8:09 p.m. ET, Fox)

The 2020 World Series has potential to deliver fireworks from the start with a star pitching matchup ahead in Game 1. 

Tyler Glasnow and Clayton Kershaw were not used after Game 4 in their respective League Championship Series. That sets up Tampa Bay's top power pitcher to go head-to-head with the most experienced hurler on either roster. 

Glasnow has 33 strikeouts and conceded 16 earned runs over 26.1 innings in his six career postseason starts. Kershaw has appeared in 29 more playoff games than Glasnow, and he has pitched in the World Series on five occasions. 

The southpaw opened the World Series in 2017 and 2018 with mixed results. In 2017, Kershaw allowed one earned run over seven innings in a 3-1 win over Houston. Two years ago, he conceded five earned runs in an 8-4 defeat to the Boston Red Sox. 

The 32-year-old opened the postseason with an incredible 13-strikeout performance in the NL Wild Card Round against Milwaukee. Since then, he allowed seven earned runs in 11 frames against Atlanta and San Diego. 

If the Dodgers get a performance from Kershaw similar to his 2017 World Series opener, he could hand them an early advantage that takes pressure off their other pitchers.

Walker Buehler is the obvious No. 2 to Kershaw in the rotation, but if the Dodgers bring him back for Game 2, he would be pitching on three days' rest. If Los Angeles wants him on full rest, he would not start until Friday in a potential showdown with Charlie Morton.

Buehler could be Los Angeles' difference-maker on the mound. He threw seven shutout innings in his lone World Series start in 2018, and he has allowed four earned runs in four starts this postseason. 

If the Dodgers align Buehler to start opposite Morton, they could neutralize the Rays' most experienced arm. Morton conceded two earned runs in 10.1 innings to help Houston beat the Dodgers in 2017. 

Two pitching performances will not determine the final result of the World Series, but they could play a crucial role in setting up the final few games. 

With Kershaw and Buehler in play for two of the first three contests, the Dodgers appear to be in the best position possible to end their title drought that dates back to 1988.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.