Just to start the World Series on a high note, I pass along this note from ESPN Stats & Info: Tim Timmons, who has the home plate assignment in Game 1, has called a strike correctly on 89.8 percent of batters' takes this season, 83rd out of 89 umpires.

Bradford Doolittle, ESPN Staff Writer15h ago

Red Sox manager Alex Cora joked that Dave Roberts, a good friend and a former teammate, "makes a lot of money" signing autographs because of his stolen base. "I know he puts ‘the greatest stolen base in the history of the game.' He makes a lot of money in an hour. Probably he's making money right now."

Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer15h ago

Clayton Kershaw made an interesting point about deep bullpens essentially replacing starting rotations on some organizations: "It's a very cost-effective thing to do, obviously, to ‘bullpen' and have a deep bullpen because starting pitchers are more expensive. But I think us as an organization, us as a union, will definitely have to take a closer look at that, if that's the way the game is going. Because I think everybody should be compensated according to what they are worth in the game. So if the bullpen is going to have more value, they're going to have to pay them more. I think that's just the bottom line."

Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer15h ago

Manny Machado stuck to the script in his pre-World Series session. Asked about playing a Red Sox team that doesn't really like him a whole lot, he said: "I'm here to win the World Series. I'm not thinking about anything else."

Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer16h ago

Clayton Kershaw, who will make his first appearance at Fenway Park tomorrow, doesn't expect the Green Monster to make much of a difference. "Usually when I give up homers, they're not cheap anyway," he said. "So it probably won't matter if there's a fence there or not that's really close."

Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer16h ago

Matt Kemp will DH for the Dodgers tomorrow and David Freese will play 1B, Dave Roberts said. My guess is Cody Bellinger is in CF, Chris Taylor is in LF and Kiké Hernandez is at 2B, but Brian Dozier could factor into that, as well.

Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer17h ago

Dave Roberts confirms that David Freese will be in the lineup for Game 1 and that Matt Kemp will be the DH as the Dodgers bring out their right-handed lineup to face Chris Sale.

David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer17h ago

The potential free-agent class has shrunk by one. The Arizona Diamondbacks have announced a three-year deal with infielder Eduardo Escobar, keeping him from the open market. Escobar enjoyed a career season in 2018, split between Arizona and Minnesota. He hit .272 with 23 homers, 48 doubles and 84 RBI.

Bradford Doolittle, ESPN Staff Writer17h ago

Dave Roberts confirms that his first three starters will be Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu and then Walker Buehler back at Dodger Stadium for Game 3.

David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer17h ago

The Dodgers' World Series rotation: Clayton Kershaw in Game 1, Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game 2, Walker Buehler in Game 3, Rich Hill in Game 4.

Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer17h ago

Clayton Kershaw will speak later at Fenway Park in the slot reserved for the Dodgers' Game 1 starter, so it's all but official: Tuesday night will feature Kershaw vs. Boston's Chris Sale. Not a bad way to begin the World Series.

Bradford Doolittle, ESPN Staff Writer20h ago

Red Sox ace Chris Sale on what he'd tell Clayton Kershaw about pitching at Fenway Park for the first time: "It's a whole lot better when you're wearing the white uniform."

Dan Mullen, ESPN.com20h ago

Alex Cora confirmed that David Price will start Game 2, but said the team will wait on the Game 3 and 4 starters — a sign that Nathan Eovaldi and Rick Porcello could be bullpen options before then. He said they will also make a decision on adding Steven Wright to the roster tomorrow.

David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer20h ago

Alex Cora is the first Puerto Rican manager to reach the World Series and he says he knows everyone back home is proud of him, but he added, "I'm proud of them," for their perseverance after Hurricane Maria devastated the island last year.

David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer20h ago

Per David Purdum, a bettor wagered $100,000 on the Dodgers to win the World Series at +115 odds over the weekend at The SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas. Bet would win $115K.

Ben Fawkes, ESPN Staff Writer22h ago

Marlins CEO Derek Jeter on signing the Mesa brothers, Victor Victor Mesa and Victor Mesa Jr.: "We want Miami to be THE destination for top international talent. This organization should reflect the diversity of the South Florida community."

Cameron Wolfe, ESPN Staff Writer23h ago

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman: "This is a team that doesn't have ‘easy' in the playbook. We like to do things the hard way. But it's an extremely talented group, and one who's really, extremely focused on winning four more games and winning a World Series championship."

Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer2d ago

Powered by home runs from Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig, the Dodgers downed the Brewers in Game 7 to win the NL pennant. The 5-1 final was the same score that L.A. lost to Houston by in World Series Game 7 last fall.

Dan Mullen, ESPN.com2d ago