The Toronto Blue Jays didn’t just beat the Los Angeles Dodgers — they dismantled them. On Friday, October 24, 2025, at Rogers Centre in Toronto, the Blue Jays exploded for 11 runs in a stunning 11-4 Game 1 victory, marking Canada’s first World Series Toronto game since 1993. The crowd of 44,353 roared like it was ’92 again. And for one unforgettable inning, it felt like history was being rewritten.
The Sixth Inning That Changed Everything
It wasn’t a slow burn. It was a detonation. With the score tied 1-1 in the sixth, the Blue Jays loaded the bases with no outs against Dodgers starter Blake Snell. The veteran left-hander, who signed a $150 million deal last winter, looked rattled. One pitch later, he was gone. And that’s when Toronto’s lineup — long criticized for being too reliant on power — showed its depth. Daulton Varsho, the quiet workhorse of the outfield, had already tied the game with a fourth-inning homer. Now, he drew a walk to reload the bases. Then came Addison Barger, a 24-year-old pinch-hitter who’d hit .212 in the regular season. He crushed a 94 mph fastball into the left-field bleachers. Grand slam. The first in World Series history. The stadium went silent for half a second — then erupted. Nine runs. Six hits. Three Dodgers pitchers. One inning. The Dodgers’ $320 million roster, loaded with MVPs and All-Stars, looked like a house of cards.LA’s Answer: Yamamoto’s Masterclass
But baseball doesn’t stay stunned for long. On Saturday, October 25, 2025, the Dodgers answered. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Japan’s prized pitching prospect, threw a complete game — 9 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 10 strikeouts. No drama. Just precision. He retired the final 16 batters in a row. The Blue Jays’ offense, which had pounded 17 hits the night before, managed just six. The crowd that had danced in the stands the night before sat quietly. The series was tied 1-1. And suddenly, the narrative flipped. The Dodgers weren’t the overpaid underachievers anymore. They were the team that adjusts. The team that doesn’t panic.
The Scherzer vs. Glasnow Showdown
Game 3, on Monday, October 27, 2025, at Dodger Stadium, became the most anticipated pitching matchup of the decade. On one side: Max Scherzer, 41, a future Hall of Famer nicknamed ‘Mad Max,’ who’s won two Cy Youngs and two World Series rings — but hasn’t started a postseason game since 2022. On the other: Tyler Glasnow, 27, the Dodgers’ 6’7” power pitcher with a 99 mph fastball and a history of injuries. The contrast was poetic. Scherzer, the veteran who’s seen it all. Glasnow, the young phenom trying to silence the doubters. The stakes? Nothing less than control of the series. Historically, teams that split the first two games at home go on to win 56.2% of the time — a slight edge, but not a guarantee.Why This Series Matters Beyond the Scoreboard
The Blue Jays haven’t won a World Series since 1993. The Dodgers haven’t repeated since the Yankees’ three-peat ended in 2000. Both franchises carry decades of near-misses. Toronto’s fans remember Joe Carter’s walk-off in ’93. LA’s fans remember Clayton Kershaw’s postseason heartbreaks. This isn’t just about trophies — it’s about legacy. And for the first time in six years, the World Series is tied 1-1 after two games. The only exception? Last year, when the Dodgers swept the Yankees. Now, the pattern has returned. Five of the last six Fall Classics have been tied after two games. That’s not coincidence. It’s a sign of parity. Of depth. Of teams that can’t be counted out until the final out.
What’s Next? The Road to Los Angeles
Games 3, 4, and 5 are now in Los Angeles. If the series goes the distance, Games 6 and 7 return to Toronto. That’s the beauty of the 2-3-2 format — it forces momentum to travel. The Blue Jays’ lineup, led by Varsho and Teoscar Hernández, who homered in Game 2, still has the firepower. But their bullpen, which blew the lead in Game 1, must hold. The Dodgers, with Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman swinging hot bats, now have confidence. Manager John Schneider put it best after Game 2: “You never know when someone’s going to have it. Every game is different.” And in baseball, that’s the truth. One inning can change everything. One pitch can end a dream.Frequently Asked Questions
How rare is a pinch-hit grand slam in the World Series?
Addison Barger’s grand slam in Game 1 was the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history — out of 120 previous Fall Classics. Only 23 pinch-hit grand slams have ever been hit in all of MLB history, and just two came in the postseason before this one. Barger’s hit broke a 122-year record and instantly became one of the most iconic moments in Canadian baseball history.
Why is Max Scherzer starting Game 3 at 41?
Despite missing most of September with a hamstring injury, Scherzer threw 88 pitches in a bullpen session on October 23 and was cleared to start. The Blue Jays are betting on his postseason pedigree — he’s 10-4 with a 2.81 ERA in 22 career playoff starts. At 41, he’s the oldest pitcher to start a World Series game since Jack Morris in 1991. His experience is Toronto’s best weapon against LA’s young power.
What’s the historical advantage of winning Game 1 of the World Series?
Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-seven World Series have gone on to win the championship 127 times out of 196 series — a 64.8% win rate. But winning Game 1 doesn’t guarantee victory. In the last 10 World Series, only five Game 1 winners claimed the title. The Dodgers themselves lost Game 1 in 2020 but still won the title. Momentum matters, but resilience matters more.
How does this series compare to the 1993 World Series?
In 1993, the Blue Jays won in six games against the Phillies, capped by Joe Carter’s iconic walk-off homer. This year, Toronto’s offense looks more balanced — Varsho, Hernández, and Barger are all contributing, unlike ’93, when the team relied heavily on Roberto Alomar and John Olerud. The pitching is deeper now, but the pressure is greater. Back then, the Jays were the favorites. Now, they’re the underdogs trying to end a 32-year drought.
Why is the Dodgers’ $320 million roster under scrutiny?
Los Angeles spent more than any team in MLB history this offseason, adding Snell, Freeman, and Ohtani to a core that already included Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger. Yet in Game 1, their bullpen blew a 4-1 lead in the sixth, and their offense went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Critics argue the team prioritized star power over depth — a flaw Toronto exploited. The Blue Jays, by contrast, built through smart trades and player development.
Will the series return to Toronto?
Yes — if the series goes to six or seven games. The 2-3-2 format means Games 6 and 7 would be played back at Rogers Centre. That’s huge for Toronto fans: a chance to close out a championship at home for the first time since 1993. But it also means the Blue Jays must win at least one game in Los Angeles to make that happen. The pressure shifts with every road game.
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