LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Record: 43-17.

Playoff Entry: NL West champions.

Playoff Seed: No. 1.

Manager: Dave Roberts (fifth season).

Projected Rotation: LHP Clayton Kershaw (6-2, 2.16 ERA, 62 Ks), RHP Dustin May (3-1, 2.57, 44 Ks), RHP Walker Buehler (1-0, 3.44, 42 Ks), LHP Julio Urias (3-0, 3.27, 45 Ks).

Top Hitters: SS Corey Seager (.307, 15 HRs, 41 RBIs, 38 runs, 12 doubles, .943 OPS), RF Mookie Betts (.292, 16, 39, 47 runs, 10 SBs, .928 OPS), C Will Smith (.289, 8, 25, .980 OPS), LF AJ Pollock (.276, 16, 34, .881 OPS), 3B Justin Turner (.307, 4, 23, .860 OPS), CF Cody Bellinger (.239, 12, 30, .789 OPS).

Top Relievers: RHP Kenley Jansen (3-1, 3.33 ERA, 11 saves), RHP Blake Treinen (3-3, 3.86, 1 save), RHP Joe Kelly (0-0, 1.80), RHP Pedro Baez (0-0, 3.18, 2 saves), RHP Brusdar Graterol (1-2, 3.09), RHP Dylan Floro (3-0, 2.59), RHP Tony Gonsolin (2-2, 2.31, 46 Ks in 9 games, 8 starts).

Series Summary: After winning the franchise’s 24th National League pennant, Dodgers seek their seventh World Series title and first in 32 years. … Dodgers won their third pennant in four years by overcoming 3-1 series deficit against Atlanta in NLCS. They rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 down in Game 7, getting a tying homer from pinch-hitter Kike Hernandez in the sixth inning and a go-ahead shot from Bellinger in the seventh for a 4-3 victory. Los Angeles allowed only seven runs while winning the final three games — aided by some spectacular defense from Betts. Seager batted .310 with five homers, two doubles and 11 RBIs to earn series MVP honors. … Dodgers won their eighth consecutive NL West crown with baseball’s best record this season but are still chasing their first championship since 1988. They made back-to-back World Series appearances in 2017 (lost to Houston in seven games) and 2018 (lost to Boston in five games with Betts on the Red Sox roster). They won a franchise-record 106 games last year and didn’t make it out of the Division Series. “This year is our year,” Roberts said after the NLCS comeback vs. Atlanta. … With much of the 2020 postseason played at neutral sites because of the coronavirus, LA stays at the Texas Rangers’ new ballpark with a retractable roof for the third straight round. Dodgers will be the “home team“and bat last in Games 1 and 2 of Series, and 6 and 7 if necessary, thanks to superior regularseason record. About 11,000 fans will be allowed to attend each game. … Dodgers had only one day off before Series opener. Tampa Bay got two. Kershaw will be on regular rest in Game 1, but LA must decide whether to start Buehler on three days’ rest in Game 2 or have him pitch Game 3 on extra rest. Another option for early innings of Game 2 is likely some combination of May and Gonsolin, who both pitched in Game 7 against Braves. … The 24-year-old Urias is already pitching in his fourth postseason. He went 4-0 with a 0.56 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 16 innings in four playoff games (one start) this year. He won Game 3 of NLCS as a starter and Game 7 in relief. … Buehler, who has been dealing with blisters, has 29 Ks and a 1.89 ERA in 19 innings this postseason. … Kershaw went 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in three playoff starts, leaving the threetime Cy Young Award winner 11-12 with a 4.31 ERA in his postseason career. He lost Game 4 against Atlanta after his NLCS start was pushed back a couple of days due to back spasms. He is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in four World Series starts and a Game 7 relief appearance in 2017.