The MLB needed a spark this season following several years in which its marquee event, the World Series, was heavily one-sided. The Fall Classic returned to form as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays battled through a full seven games, boosting ratings and fan engagement worldwide.
The favored Dodgers, who have the biggest payroll in baseball, entered the series as heavy favorites. Additionally, they had the most playoff experience, having won it all last year and looking to go back-to-back. The roster was filled with veteran players familiar with big moments, unlike the Blue Jays.
Toronto came in as the less experienced team, clawing back from playing .500 baseball early in the season to reach the playoffs and ultimately the World Series. Led by a young core, the Blue Jays lacked postseason experience, but that didn’t seem to matter.
The Jays came in hot, setting the tempo early with an 11-4 win in Game 1 and putting pressure on the reigning champs. The stage was set for a battle, and Los Angeles responded by taking the next two games to seize control of the series. Yoshinobu Yamamoto starred in Game 2, throwing a complete game and giving up just one run. Toronto flipped the script again as the series swung back their way, capturing the next two games while their pitching staff allowed just three runs combined. During that stretch, the Blue Jays’ offense came alive, scoring 11 runs. With their backs against the wall, the Dodgers returned home needing a win to stay alive, and they did just that, edging out a victory behind another masterful performance from Yamamoto.
In Game 7, the Dodgers traveled to Toronto for one of the most anticipated sporting events in the nation’s history. Toronto took early control against Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani as Bo Bichette, battling a knee injury, launched a three-run homer to give the home side momentum in the third inning. The Dodgers answered with a run in the fourth. Both pitching staffs then clamped down as the teams’ traded runs in the sixth to make it 4-2. The Dodgers cut the deficit to one in the eighth but failed to capitalize further, and the Jays held a 4-3 lead heading into the ninth. Trevor Hoffman came on to finish the game, getting the first out before history changed on the next pitch.
The least expected player came through for LA on the biggest stage as Miguel Rojas launched a home run to left to tie the game and give the Dodgers life. They still had to hold off Toronto in the bottom of the inning, and they barely did. The Blue Jays loaded the bases with one out, but Daulton Varsho grounded to second, and Rojas threw home just in time for catcher Will Smith to get the force out. In the 10th, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came within five feet of ending it with a deep drive to center, but the ball stayed in the park. In the 11th, Smith silenced the crowd with a solo shot to left, giving the Dodgers a 5-4 lead.
The Dodgers turned again to Yamamoto, who had pitched the night before, to close it out. He fended off one final Blue Jays rally as Alejandro Kirk grounded into a double play to end the game and give the Dodgers their title.
Toronto let this series slip away, especially in Game 7, as its pitching and offense gave LA opportunities to come back and secure the win. Still, it was a breakthrough year for the Blue Jays, who look poised to contend again next season as they begin another quest for the Fall Classic. For Los Angeles, the chance at a three-peat now awaits.