World Series 2021: Full Schedule and Examining Potential Pitching Matchups

The last few World Series have come out of the gates with tremendous pitching matchups. 

A year ago, Clayton Kershaw went head-to-head with Tyler Glasnow. In 2019, Max Scherzer and Gerrit Cole opened the Fall Classic. 

There may not be a potential pitching matchup of that magnitude in the 2021 World Series, but there is still the potential to see a high-level pitcher's duel at some point. 

Max Fried and Charlie Morton have been fantastic for Atlanta, which has a 3-1 lead on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. If the Dodgers come back, Scherzer, Walker Buehler and Julio Urias will once again take the mound on baseball's biggest stage. 

After Framber Valdez pitched a gem to get the Houston Astros within one game of the World Series, he could be one of the must-watch hurlers at the start of the Fall Classic. 

If the Boston Red Sox rebound in the ALCS, Chris Sale and Nathan Eovaldi will be the focal points of their rotation.

World Series Schedule

Game 1: Tuesday, October 26 (Fox) 

Game 2: Wednesday, October 27 (Fox)

Game 3: Friday, October 29 (Fox)

Game 4: Saturday, October 30 (Fox)

Game 5: Sunday, October 31 (Fox)

Game 6: Tuesday, November 2 (Fox)

Game 7: Wednesday, November 3 (Fox)

Potential Pitching Matchups

Max Fried vs. Framber Valdez

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

This makes the most sense as the World Series Game 1 pitching matchup.

Atlanta and Houston are both one win away from clinching their respective spots in the World Series. Fried and Valdez would pitch on full rest on Tuesday. 

Fried opened the NLCS with six strong innings. He allowed two earned runs in his 12 postseason innings against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Dodgers. 

Fried is expected to throw at least five or six innings in Thursday's NLCS Game 5, so even if the Dodgers force a Game 7, he will likely not pitch again until the World Series. 

Valdez is in the same boat after he pitched eight fantastic innings in ALCS Game 5 on Wednesday night. He would be Houston's Game 1 starter if the Astros make it to the World Series. 

A Fried-Valdez matchup would be a nice showcase of two 27-year-old pitchers who have worked their way into important roles within their respective rotations. 

Fried won 38 games over the last three seasons, and Valdez recorded his highest single-season win total with 11 in 2021. 

Atlanta would likely choose Fried over Charlie Morton in Game 1 since that was its plan for the NLCS. Valdez is Houston's ace with Lance McCullers sidelined with an injury.

Max Scherzer vs. Chris Sale

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

In terms of name value, a Scherzer versus Chris Sale matchup would attract a ton of attention.

Scherzer would be in line to start Game 6 of the NLCS if the Dodgers win a bullpen game against Fried on Thursday. That would put Scherzer on track to start in World Series Game 3 at the earliest on full rest.

If the Dodgers come back in the NLCS, Scherzer will start for his third team in the World Series. He appeared for the Detroit Tigers in 2012 and with the Washington Nationals in 2019.

Scherzer would likely pitch twice in the World Series, and the second start may set him up in a head-to-head battle with Sale. 

Sale is essentially done pitching in the ALCS after he lasted 5.1 innings in Wednesday's loss to the Astros. Boston manager Alex Cora has been willing to use starters in relief, but Sale does not qualify for that since he is still getting his arm back to 100 percent. 

The southpaw pitched two games of the 2018 World Series against the Dodgers. He went head-to-head with Kershaw in Game 1 and appeared in relief in Game 5. 

We would have to wait until later in the World Series to see this matchup, but it could be worth it, especially if it appears in one of a potential clinching game. 

Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference.