World Series 2020: Dodgers vs. Rays Game 3 Pitching Preview, Predictions

Charlie Morton and Walker Buehler have the potential to deliver the best pitching matchup of the 2020 World Series. 

The pair of right-handed hurlers thrived throughout the 2020 postseason and proved their mettle in previous Fall Classics. 

Whichever starter turns in the best performance can swing the series in their favor. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays split the first two games at Globe Life Field. 

In addition to having two terrific starters on the hill, both bullpens could be fully rested after the first day off in a postseason series this season. 

World Series Game 3 Information

Start Time: 8:08 p.m. ET

TV: Fox 

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

Pitching Preview

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

Buehler and Morton combined to allow two earned runs in 17.1 innings over three combined World Series appearances. 

Morton was Houston's X-factor in 2017, as he turned in a fantastic Game 4 start and closed out the championship in a relief role in Game 7. 

In the Game 4 start, Morton allowed three hits, one each to Chris Taylor, Enrique Hernandez and Cody Bellinger. 

Taylor was Los Angeles' best hitter in Games 1 and 2. He went 3-of-7 with a home run and three RBI, but he also struck out on four occasions. 

Taylor, Will Smith and Justin Turner have all struck out on four occasions and five others fanned twice. 

That could be a sign for Morton to record a high strikeout total while limiting the Dodgers to a small total of base hits. 

Thirty of Morton's 61 postseason strikeouts occurred in a Tampa Bay uniform. In those five starts, he walked nine batters. 

Morton lasted five innings in four of those five starts. He worked into the sixth in the ALCS Game 7 win over Houston.

If Kevin Cash receives five or six solid innings out of Morton, he could allow his best bullpen arms to shut down the Dodgers. Diego Castillo threw one-third of an inning, Ryan Thompson has not been used yet, and Nick Anderson and Pete Fairbanks have not pitched more than two innings. 

The Dodgers may ride Buehler a bit longer in an attempt to send two or three of their top bullpen arms to the mound after him. 

Buehler tossed seven scoreless innings in his lone World Series start in Game 3 of the 2018 clash with the Boston Red Sox. 

In his last postseason appearance, Buehler did not allow a run in six innings in NLCS Game 6 versus the Atlanta Braves. 

The 26-year-old's strikeout prowess should be on display Friday since he fanned seven or eight batters in nine of his 10 postseason starts. The Rays struck out 17 times in the first two games and whiffed on eight occasions against Clayton Kershaw in Game 1. 

The Dodgers could have a shorter leash with Buehler, if he struggles in the fifth or sixth inning, because they have some fresh bullpen arms. 

Kenley Jansen has not thrown in the World Series, and their pair of lefties, Alex Wood and Victor Gonzalez, could be called on to take advantage of what should be a lefty-heavy Tampa Bay lineup.

Austin Meadows and Ji-Man Choi were added to the Game 2 lineup alongside fellow lefties Brandon Lowe and Kevin Kiermaier for the matchup against Tony Gonsolin.

If Gonzalez or Wood becomes the first arm out of the bullpen, it could put Tampa Bay at a disadvantage, or force it to use its bench early. Mike Brosseau, Yandy Diaz and Hunter Renfroe could be called on as pinch-hitters. 

If both starters come close to replicating their previous postseason outings, the final result could come down to a battle of the bullpens. 

Tampa Bay earned seven of its nine runs off Los Angeles relievers, while the Dodgers took four of their 12 runs against Rays hurlers out of the bullpen.

Prediction

Tampa Bay 4, Los Angeles 2

Tampa Bay's numbers against Los Angeles' bullpen could be the difference-maker in the final few innings once Morton and Buehler depart. 

The Dodgers' liability could be Jansen, who allowed two earned runs in NLDS Game 2 and conceded once in his last three World Series appearances. 

Jansen also conceded an earned run in three Fall Classic outings in 2017 against the Houston Astros. 

Tampa Bay could use Castillo to shut down right-handed batters and southpaw Aaron Loup to do the same against lefties to set up Fairbanks to close. 

The Rays could also switch Fairbanks and Castillo in those roles, but they may prefer to use Castillo for a longer outing since he earned a single out at the end of Game 2. 

With the margins expected to be slimmer than a typical World Series game, Tampa Bay's bullpen performance could give it the edge in a low-scoring affair.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference