Astros vs. Dodgers Wednesday MLB probable pitchers, odds: Max Scherzer makes Dodger debut opposite Jake Odorizzi in possible World Series preview

If the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers play again this year after Wednesday night, it would be in the 2021 World Series – a very realistic possibility with both favored to win their respective pennant. Wednesday will be the Dodgers debut of trade acquisition and three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, and L.A. is a heavy favorite at Caesars Sportsbook against the Astros' Jake Odorizzi.

Scherzer reportedly was close to being traded at last Friday's deadline to the San Diego Padres, but the NL West-rival Dodgers jumped in and made a better offer to not only land Scherzer but also All-Star shortstop Trea Turner, who remains on the COVID list but should debut this weekend.

Since Scherzer will debut Wednesday and when Turner soon will, the Dodgers will have had 17 former All-Stars appear in a game for them this season. That's the second-most in a single season in team history (21 in 1941) and second-most in the past 10 seasons behind the 2012 Yankees, who had 18. Those '41 Dodgers lost in the World Series to the Yankees, while those '12 Yankees didn't make it to the Fall Classic.

Scherzer will be the fourth former Cy Young Award winner to pitch this season for the Dodgers behind Clayton Kershaw, Trevor Bauer and David Price – no other team ever had three. Scherzer was one of the best free-agent signings ever by Washington ahead of the 2015 season. He made 189 regular season starts with the Nationals and went at least six innings and allowed one earned run or fewer in 41 percent of them.

The right-hander's finale was last Thursday when he won at Philadelphia, allowing one run over six to improve to 8-4 with a 2.76 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 111 innings this year. He has not faced Houston this year – the Astros were reportedly interesting in trading for him as well.

Houston's Odorizzi (4-5, 4.30) allowed three runs over 5.1 innings last time out in a win at Seattle. He has been much better on the road (4-2, 3.97) than at home (0-3, 4.73) this year and hasn't faced the Dodgers in 2021. Only a few have seen him career in the regular season – Mookie Betts by far the most, going 8-for-30 with three doubles.

To win the World Series at Caesars Sportsbook, the Dodgers are +300 favorites and the Astros +500 second favorites. Houston won the opener Tuesday, 3-0, despite first baseman Yuli Gurriel scratched with neck stiffness. The crowd of 52,692 fans at Dodger Stadium was the largest in the majors this season and they were riding the Astros all night for their cheating scandal.

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