8 Blue Jays and Dodgers who could determine the outcome of the World Series

Around 8:10 p.m. ET on Friday, the excitement will have given way to tension — the kind that only playoff baseball can provide.

Yes, the World Series will return to Canada for the first time in 32 years. That, in itself, is a statement and achievement worth celebrating.

But what really made those 1992 and 1993 teams special is that they won it all.

Blue Jays fans experienced the nail-biting drama that comes with the post-season in Game 7 of the American League Championship, when Toronto trailed for most of the game to the Seattle Mariners before George Springer flipped the script with his instantly iconic three-run home run in the seventh inning.

Now, the Blue Jays and their World Series opponent, the Los Angeles Dodgers, are back to 0-0. Plenty of twists and turns surely lie ahead.

Here are eight people who could determine the outcome of the Fall Classic:

A guy who could take over the series all on his own, Guerrero Jr. has earned his 14-year, $500 million US contract before it’s even begun.

Hitting .442 with six homers and 12 runs batted in through two series, Guerrero Jr., who won ALCS MVP, has proven to be an absolute force in these playoffs. Even when he makes an out, it’s likely he hit the ball hard. And his three strikeouts in 11 playoff games show just how difficult it is for opponents to put him away without a ball in play.

The Dodgers’ biggest strength is their starting pitchers, and their ability to generate strikeouts. Something’s gotta give.

‘My challenge is to bring the World Series … back to Canada’: Blue Jays Guerrero Jr.

It would be malpractice to leave Ohtani off this list. He is easily the greatest player in the sport, though the Blue Jays have already vanquished two of the contenders in Aaron Judge