What to watch during MLB's best-of-7 League Championship Series

There are five current franchises that have never won a World Series. Two of them still have a chance to break through this year.

Major League Baseball’s playoffs have reached the two League Championship Series, which will include the Los Angeles Dodgers and their storied history — and three other teams that are products of the sport's post-expansion era. The Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners, both of whom began playing in 1977, meet in the ALCS. The Milwaukee Brewers, who spent a year as the Seattle Pilots before relocating to Wisconsin in 1970, face Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in the NLCS.

The Mariners and Brewers have never won a World Series. Seattle is the only current team that has never even won a pennant.

The Mariners made it to the ALCS via a scintillating 15-inning victory over Detroit in Game 5 of their AL Division Series. They'll have little time to savor that victory. Game 1 in Toronto is less than 48 hours later on Sunday night.

Seattle had to use three of its top starting pitchers — George Kirby, Luis Castillo and Logan Gilbert — in that marathon Game 5 against the Tigers. So the Mariners are set to start Bryce Miller — who had a 5.68 ERA during the regular season — on three days' rest in the opener against the Blue Jays. A rested Kevin Gausman takes the mound for Toronto, which eliminated the New York Yankees in four games in their ALDS.

The defending World Series champion Dodgers beat Philadelphia in four to earn a return trip to the NLCS. That series starts Monday night. Milwaukee won a five-game NLDS over the Chicago Cubs to advance.

The top seeds in both leagues — the 97-win Brewers and 94-win Blue Jays — are still alive.

What to know about the League Championship Series

What is the MLB playoff format?

There were 12 teams that qualified for MLB’s postseason, six teams from both the AL and NL. That is down to four still alive.

Division Series winners moved on to the best-of-seven League Championship Series, with the AL and NL pennant winners then playing in the best-of-seven World Series.

What is the MLB postseason schedule?

Championship Series: Oct. 12-21 (NL on TBS, AL on FOX/FS1)

World Series: Oct. 24-Nov. 1 (FOX)

Who are the favorites to win the World Series?

The Dodgers (+120) are the favorite to win the World Series, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. After that, it’s the Blue Jays (+325), Mariners (+340) and Brewers (+400).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB