The World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the L.A. Dodgers kicks off tonight. Here are 10 interesting facts to get you excited for the match-up.

  1. This is the first time that the Red Sox and Dodgers have faced off in the World Series since 1916. The Dodgers were the Brooklyn Robins back then and the Red Sox beat them in five games.
  2. The Dodgers last won the World Series in 1988. The Red Sox were champs in 2013, and also in 2007 and 2004, they had an 86-year drought before that.
  3. Since the Red Sox and Dodgers are in different leagues, they didn't play each other between that 1916 World Series and 2002. They've only played each other 12 times since then.
  4. Boston won a franchise-record 108 games to claim their third straight AL East title.
  5. To take their division for the sixth consecutive year, the Dodgers had to win a one game play-off against the Colorado Rockies. Los Angeles is making its second straight trip to the World Series.
  6. This is the first World Series where both teams' managers Alex Cora (Boston) and Dave Roberts (L.A.) played for both teams.
  7. Both teams led their league in runs scored this year. The Dodgers had seven players reach 20-plus home runs. They ranked second to the Yankees in total home runs, hitting a franchise-record 235, which is tied for the third-highest total in NL history.
  8. The Red Sox led the majors in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, with Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez leading the way.
  9. The Red Sox won 16 more games than the Dodgers, which is tied for the third-biggest win differential in World Series history. The Red Sox won 108 and had the best record in baseball, while the Dodgers won only 92 games.
  10. The opening Vegas odds have Boston as slight favorites:
    The Red Sox are at -135 (roughly 57%) and the Dodgers at +115 (roughly 46%). That means if you bet $100 on the Red Sox you'd win $74, and if you bet $100 on the Dodgers you'd win $115.

Read more at ESPN.

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