Two teams are halfway to clinching a berth in the 2015 World Series, but the American League and National League Championship Series both have a 2-3-2 format. Although the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets hold commanding 2-0 leads in their respective series, they have to sweep to avoid playing three road games in a row.
The Toronto Blue Jays rallied from a 0-2 deficit in the American League Division Series to advance, and the Chicago Cubs' talented young nucleus can't be counted out just yet. It's still uncertain as to who will participate in the Fall Classic despite the lopsided nature of both series.
Below is a listing of the full World Series schedule along with predictions as to who will emerge with the Commissioner's Trophy.
Projected World Series Matchup: Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Mets
Chicago's curse will unfortunately continue. Already two losses away from elimination, the Cubs have to face Mets star pitcher Jacob deGrom in Game 3 and saw ace Jake Arrieta take a loss in the most recent contest.
ESPN's Buster Olney alluded to the power pitching New York has that is giving the Cubs fits and would have a similar impact on Toronto in the World Series:
The club with the best chance to rally before the World Series is the Blue Jays. They have Marcus Stroman starting Monday against an inconsistent Johnny Cueto back at the Rogers Centre—the site of Jose Bautista's epic bat flip the last time a game was played there.
Stroman took center stage in Game 5 of the ALDS and yielded only two earned runs in six innings of work. The 24-year-old seems to embrace the bright lights of October baseball:
A Fall Classic showdown between New York's stacked pitching rotation and a Toronto offense that led all of baseball in runs scored would be epic to say the least. Plus, the Blue Jays now have David Price, who has yet to deliver a strong postseason performance and is due for a big one. That needs to come in the ALCS if the Jays are meant to advance, though.
In terms of predictions for the World Series, it's hard not to give the Mets the edge. They've been taking down stud pitchers like Arrieta, Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Jon Lester, so they have earned the right to be named favorites.
Between the magnificent defense the Mets play and the power they've had at the plate, catalyzed by Daniel Murphy's five postseason home runs, they have all the makings of a championship winner.
But at some point, the law of averages has to kick in and quiet New York's bats a bit. DeGrom, Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard give the Mets three legitimate starters to stymie the Blue Jays offense, yet at least one of them figures to have a rough outing against the loaded Toronto batting order.
Home-field advantage belongs to the American League in the World Series. The Rogers Centre has proved to be a difficult place to play and has the added element of being indoors to confine the sound. It wouldn't be a far trip for Mets fans to make, but the Jays faithful would be out in full force as the franchise pursues its first title since 1993.
Texas did defeat Toronto on the road in the first two games of the ALDS, though, so the Jays aren't immortal on their own turf.
A prospective World Series between the Jays and Mets figures to go the full seven games, but someone in New York's rotation would have a pitching gem left to quiet the Toronto crowd and win pro baseball's top prize on the road.
Prediction: Mets defeat Blue Jays in seven games.
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