World Series 2020: Schedule and Predictions for Rays vs. Dodgers Game 1

Clayton Kershaw's sixth World Series appearance occurs at the start of the Los Angeles Dodgers' latest quest to win the Fall Classic with their current crop of players. 

Dave Roberts' side won the National League pennant for the third time in four years, but capturing the league simply is not good enough for the team with lofty expectations. 

Kershaw will try to open the World Series off with a start that is something close to his first Fall Classic outing in 2017, when he held the Houston Astros to a single earned run over seven innings. 

The Tampa Bay Rays could be the perfect team for the 32-year-old to face in his bid to reverse his World Series form. He allowed nine runs in two appearances versus the Boston Red Sox in 2018.

Tampa Bay did not score at a high volume in the American League Championship Series, and if it fails to support Tyler Glasnow, it could face an early deficit. 

World Series Game 1 Information

Start Time: 8:09 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

Prediction

Los Angeles Dodgers 7, Tampa Bay 2

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Kershaw has a chance to shake off the narrative that he can't perform in the World Series by silencing Tampa Bay's bats in Game 1. His performances against Boston in 2018 fueled that storyline since he gave up nine earned runs on 14 hits in a pair of defeats. 

In 2017, the southpaw proved he could bounce back from a rough outing by pitching four scoreless frames in Game 7 after allowing six earned runs in Game 5. 

Kershaw conceded seven earned runs over 19 innings this postseason, and he has to face a lineup as dynamic as the Atlanta one that produced four runs in Game 4 of the NLCS. 

If he keeps the Rays off balance, though, they could struggle to create run-scoring opportunities. The AL champion scored five runs once in the ALCS, and two of its five players with over 20 at-bats had five or more hits. 

In fact, the Rays only had four players record five hits or more against Houston, and one of them may not be in the lineup in Game 1 since Ji-Man Choi would be facing a left-versus-left matchup.

The lack of run volume could take away from Glasnow's ability to produce a winning outing in the franchise's first World Series game since 2008. He needs to clean up his performance a bit after allowing four earned runs in two of his last three appearances. 

The right-handed hurler can strike out opponents at a high rate. He had 10 punchouts in ALDS Game 2 versus the New York Yankees, but he still conceded four earned runs in that outing. 

Glasnow's biggest downfall Tuesday could be his home run concession. He allowed two home runs in three of his four postseason outings. In the regular season, he let up six of his 11 home runs in his four September appearances. 

The Dodgers are less than 48 hours removed from eliminating Atlanta through the long balls of Enrique Hernandez and Cody Bellinger. 

Los Angeles finished the NLCS with 16 home runs, nine of which came from three left-handed power bats in Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy.

But the right-handers in the Dodgers lineup may find the most success in Game 1 since all six of Glasnow's postseason home run concessions were against right-handers. 

Mookie Betts is the perfect candidate to deliver a long ball from that side of the plate. He did not go deep in the NLCS, but he finished that series with five hits in three games. 

The 28-year-old is one of the few Dodgers batters with experience against Glasnow from his time in Boston. He went 3-of-6 with a double and two walks versus Tampa Bay's Game 1 starter in 2019. 

If Betts takes advantage of his familiarity with Glasnow to kick-start the Dodgers offense, they could provide Kershaw and the relievers that follow with a decent cushion to work with.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference and MLB.com.