7 Burning Questions in Dodgers vs. Blue Jays World Series Matchup
The 2025 World Series gets underway on Friday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays battle it out for MLB supremacy.
With a star-studded roster headlined by Shohei Ohtani, who is fresh off one of the most impressive individual performances in MLB history in Game 4 of the NLCS, the Dodgers are heavy favorites and enter the series with a 9-1 record this postseason.
However, they have also been idle for six days, while the Toronto Blue Jays are fresh off an emotional seven-game series with the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS, punctuated by a game-winning, three-run home run from George Springer.
Despite the Dodgers' status as clear favorites, the Blue Jays actually had the better record during the regular season and will have home-field advantage, with Game 1 at the Rogers Centre.
Before the 2025 Fall Classic gets underway, we've highlighted seven burning questions surrounding this year's World Series matchup.
Will Home-Field Advantage Matter?
1 of 7
The Blue Jays had the best home record in the American League during the regular season, going 54-27 at the Rogers Centre, compared to 40-41 on the road.
Similarly, the Dodgers were an impressive 52-29 at Dodger Stadium, and just 41-40 on the road.
Does any of that matter?
The Blue Jays actually lost Game 1 and Game 2 of the ALCS at home before rallying to take two of three in Seattle and then closed out the series with back-to-back victories back in Toronto.
The Dodgers' only loss this postseason came in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Phillies, and that was at home.
It does feel like if the Dodgers can win Game 1 in Toronto, the uphill battle becomes even steeper for the Blue Jays, but this could be a case of regular-season home/road splits being of little use in trying to predict how things will unfold.
Can Bo Bichette Make an Impact?
2 of 7
Bo Bichette has not played in a live game since Sept. 6, missing the last six weeks with a PCL sprain in his right knee.
There was some hope he would be included on the ALCS roster, and while that didn't end up happening, all signs point to him being part of the World Series picture.
"I'll be ready," Bichette told reporters following the team's ALCS win. "I don't know how they're using me, but I'll be ready."
The 27-year-old hit .311/.357/.483 with 44 doubles, 18 home runs, 94 RBI and 3.4 WAR in 139 games during the regular season, and he is set to reach free agency for the first time this winter.
Even when healthy, Bichette has been a below-average defender, and the Blue Jays have been rolling with defensive whiz Andrés Giménez shifting from second base to shortstop in his absence.
The most likely outcome might be shifting Ernie Clement from third base to second base, Addison Barger from right field to third base and George Springer from designated hitter to right field, allowing Bichette to focus solely on hitting in the DH role.
Will Roki Sasaki and the Dodgers Bullpen Hold Up?
3 of 7
The Dodgers bullpen looked like a potential juggernaut heading into the season, with Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates added to a group that also included Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech.
Instead, the only guys left standing from that group are Treinen, and the team has leaned heavily on rookie Roki Sasaki in the closer's role this postseason after the hyped Japanese League sensation spent much of the year in Triple-A after struggling early.
So far, Sasaki has allowed just three hits and one earned run in eight innings of work, nailing down all three of his save chances while unleashing a triple-digits fastball and wicked splitter.
However, the Dodgers bullpen as a whole has a 4.88 ERA and 1.66 WHIP in 27.2 innings this postseason, and they have not been stretched thin thanks to eight quality starts in 10 games from the starting staff.
Will the Dodgers' biggest potential weakness be exposed in the World Series?
.png?w=256)
Who Will Step Up in the Toronto Rotation?
4 of 7
The Dodgers (8), Yankees (4), Tigers (3), Mariners (2) and Phillies (2) have all had more quality starts from their starting pitching this postseason than the Blue Jays, whose lone outing of at least six innings and three or fewer runs came from Shane Bieber in Game 3 of the ALCS.
That doesn't quite paint the full picture, as Kevin Gausman (5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER) and Trey Yesavage (5.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER) both pitched into the sixth inning in strong outings to kick off the ALDS, but it's still fair to call Toronto's rotation one of the bigger X-factors in this series.
Here's how they've performed so far this postseason:
Kevin Gausman: 3 GS, 2.12 ERA, 10 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 12 K, 17.0 IP
Shane Bieber: 3 GS, 4.38 ERA, 16 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 15 K, 12.1 IP
Trey Yesavage: 3 GS, 4.20 ERA, 10 H, 7 ER, 7 BB, 22 K, 15.0 IP
Max Scherzer: 1 GS, 3.18 ERA, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, 5.2 IP
The range of potential outcomes from that group is extremely wide, and a strong showing from the starting staff will give the Blue Jays the best chance of pulling off an upset.
What Will Shohei Ohtani Do for an Encore?
5 of 7
Shohei Ohtani had quite possibly the greatest individual performance in MLB postseason history in Game 4 of the NLCS, tossing six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts on the mound, and launching three home runs in the batter's box.
What could he possibly do for an encore?
Prior to that offensive explosion, Ohtani had hit just .103/.235/.172 with one extra-base hit and two RBI in the NLDS and the first three games of the NLCS, so we might be talking about his cold bat if not for that three-homer night.
Now it feels like anything is possible out of the game's best player heading into the World Series.
It will be Blake Snell on the mound in Game 1 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to follow in Game 2, so he won't be asked to pull two-way duties again until at least Game 3, but he is more than capable of changing the outcome of a game simply from his leadoff spot in the lineup.
Even if you're not rooting for the Dodgers, it's hard not to appreciate what is very clearly all-time greatness in action.
Does the Blue Jays Offense Have a Few More Offensive Explosions in the Tank?
6 of 7
When it's firing on all cylinders, the Blue Jays offense is capable of toppling a giant like this Dodgers team.
They have scored 71 runs in 11 games this postseason, including double-digit explosions in Game 1 of the ALDS (10-1), Game 2 of the ALDS (13-7) and Game 3 of the ALCS (13-4).
They are hitting .296/.355/.523 for an .878 OPS that is more than 100 points higher than the .770 OPS put up by the Dodgers to this point, and they are batting .286 with runners in scoring position.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is hitting .442/.510/.930 with six home runs and 12 RBI, and he is quickly approaching "why are we still pitching to him?" territory for opposing managers.
However, George Springer (4 HR), Alejandro Kirk (3 HR), Addison Barger (2 HR), Andrés Giménez (2 HR) and Daulton Varsho (2 HR) have also hit multiple home runs, while Ernie Clement has been the breakout star of the 2025 playoffs with a .429/.444/.619 line in 45 plate appearances.
Are there a few more crooked numbers left in the tank for an offense that has been easily the best in this year's playoff field?
Can the Dodgers Rotation Keep it Up?
7 of 7
For as impressive as the Blue Jays offense has been this postseason, the Dodgers starting rotation has been every bit as good, if not better.
Here's a full rundown of how their starters—Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow—have fared during their 9-1 run to the NL pennant:
NLWC1 (Snell): W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
NLWC2 (Yamamoto): W, 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
NLDS1 (Ohtani): W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
NLDS2 (Snell): W, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 9 K
NLDS3 (Yamamoto): L, 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
NLDS4 (Glasnow): ND, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
NLCS1 (Snell): W, 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K
NLCS2 (Yamamoto): W, 9.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
NLCS3 (Glasnow): ND, 5.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
NLCS4 (Ohtani): W 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K
The combined line: 10 G, 7-1, 1.40 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 19 BB, 81 K, 64.1 IP
If the Dodgers pitch like they have thus far this October in the World Series, it's going to be a quick series.
.png?w=480)
