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One of two fan bases will be able to celebrate history at the conclusion of this year’s World Series.
Either the Tampa Bay Rays will be hoisting their first championship trophy or the Los Angeles Dodgers will sit atop of baseball’s best since 1988.
Both teams had to overcome different tests during the divisional series in order to get to baseball’s biggest stage.
Los Angeles came back from a 3-1 deficit to the Atlanta Braves, while Tampa Bay fought off Houston in a game seven after leading the series 3-0.
Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager and Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena were both named Most Valuable Players for their respective teams.
Seager hit a NLDS-record five home runs to go along with 11 runs batted in. So far this postseason, he has a .298 batting average with six home runs and 15 RBI.
Two years ago, Seager missed the majority of the season after undergoing elbow surgery. He is set to be a free agent at season’s end.
Arozarena became the first rookie position player to win the league championship series or World Series MVP awards after batting .321, with four home runs and six RBI.
In his first postseason, Arozarena is hitting .382 with seven home runs and 10 RBI.
Coming into the playoffs, he had 84 at-bats in just 42 career games.
The supporting cast for both teams also feature big names from World Series before and some who are hoping to make a name for themselves for the first time.
Los Angeles has an outfielder with a championship ring from his time in Boston, in Mookie Betts, who is batting .311 this postseason with five RBI but he has yet to hit a home run.
In addition, his 14 hits are tied with Seager for the most on the club.
Next to Betts in the outfield, is former league MVP Cody Bellinger, who is batting .250 with three home runs and 10 RBI this postseason.
His two triples are also the only triples for the Dodgers.
Both outfielders have gold gloves to their names and showed why against the Braves in the championship series.
Arozarena has a big bat next to him in the outfield, in Manuel Margot, whose 11 RBI leads Tampa Bay.
Margot also has five home runs and a .256 batting average.
Though he doesn’t play everyday, first baseman Ji-Man Choi may play a big role for the Rays.
He’s batting .290 this postseason with two home runs and four RBI but has 16 total bases.
For the first time in quite some time, the Dodgers feel they can rely on starting arms that aren’t future Hall-of-Famer Clayton Kershaw.
Starter Walker Buehler is 1-1 this postseason allowing one run on 10 hits for an 1.89 earned run averaged.
Buehler has also posted 13 strikeouts while only walking five, all of which came in his first start of the playoffs.
Though in his 13th season, Kershaw is still expected to pitch in big moments.
This postseason, he is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA giving up seven earned runs on 16 hits. He’s posted a remarkable 23 strikeouts to just two walks.
The biggest x-factor for the Dodgers’ pitching staff may be Julio Urias who is 4-0 this postseason with a 0.56 ERA which leads the team.
Tampa Bay’s pitching staff is headed by former Cy Young winner, Blake Snell, who has a 1-1 record this postseason.
He has allowed three runs on nine hits despite walking six and striking out six. In his second start on Sunday, Oct. 11, Snell induced 12 flyouts and five groundouts.
Rays starter Tyler Glasnow is also expected to play a big role for the American League champs with his 2-1 postseason record.
Glasnow currently has a 4.66 ERA giving up 10 runs on 17 hits but has a 11.6 strikeout per nine innings rate (25 strikeouts and eight walks).
Lastly, pitcher Charlie Morton might play the x-factor role for Tampa Bay as he is undefeated in his starts at 3-0 with a 0.57 ERA, both of which leads his team.
Kershaw and Glasnow have been tabbed as starters for game one from Globe Life Field in Arlington Tuesday, Oct. 20.
There are games scheduled every day with a possible game seven falling on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The only scheduled off-days are Thursday, Oct. 22 and Monday, Oct. 26.