The Toronto Blue Jays didn’t just beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2025 World Series—they blew them apart. On Friday, October 24, 2025, in front of a deafening 44,353 fans at Rogers Centre in Toronto, the Blue Jays turned a 2-0 deficit into an 11-4 rout, powered by the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history. The game didn’t just shift momentum—it rewrote the script. Now, after the Dodgers evened the series with a gritty Game 2 win, all eyes turn to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on October 27, where 41-year-old legend Max Scherzer takes the mound against Tyler Glasnow in a matchup that feels like a passing of the torch.
A Sixth Inning for the Ages
It wasn’t just a rally. It was a reckoning. Down 2-0 after three innings, the Blue Jays watched Daulton Varsho tie the game with a 423-foot homer in the fourth. Then, in the sixth, everything collapsed for Dodgers starter Blake Snell. With the bases loaded and nobody out, manager Dave Roberts made a fateful decision: leave Snell in. It backfired spectacularly. Addison Barger, pinch-hitting for the struggling Lourdes Gurriel Jr., crushed a 3-2 fastball to center field—413 feet, no doubt. Grand slam. The crowd erupted. The Dodgers’ $320 million machine, built on pitching and star power, suddenly looked brittle.But Barger wasn’t done. Moments later, Alejandro Kirk followed with a two-run blast of his own, clearing the fences again. Nine runs in one inning. The Blue Jays hadn’t just scored—they’d shattered the aura of invincibility the Dodgers carried into the series. "They knew where the cracks were," said Blue Jays manager John Schneider afterward. "We didn’t try to hit home runs. We tried to make them make pitches. And they didn’t."
The Dodgers Fight Back
The narrative could’ve ended there. But baseball doesn’t work that way. Two nights later, back in Toronto, the Dodgers responded with the kind of poise champions are made of. Though box score details remain scarce, sources confirm Los Angeles’ bullpen held Toronto to just two runs over the final six innings, while Shohei Ohtani delivered a crucial two-out RBI single in the seventh to break a 2-2 tie. The win wasn’t flashy—it was surgical. No grand slams. No rallies. Just execution. "We didn’t need fireworks," said Dave Roberts. "We needed to stay alive. And we did."That’s the beauty of this series. The Blue Jays came out swinging, and the Dodgers responded like a veteran team that’s been here before. Game 1 was poetry. Game 2 was prose. And now, with the series tied, it’s anyone’s ballgame.
A Legacy on the Mound: Scherzer vs. Glasnow
Game 3 isn’t just another game. It’s history in motion. Max Scherzer, 41, with three Cy Young Awards and a 216-112 career record, is pitching in his first World Series since 2019. He’s not just chasing a ring—he’s chasing legacy. The last time he started a World Series game, he was with the Nationals. Now, he’s in Toronto, a veteran brought in to stabilize a young rotation. He’s not supposed to be here at this stage. But he is.Opposing him: Tyler Glasnow, 27, the Dodgers’ rising ace. A power pitcher with a 3.11 ERA in 2025 and a fastball that still hits 99 mph. He’s the future. Scherzer is the past. But in October, past and future collide. The Dodgers are betting Glasnow can outlast Scherzer’s grit. The Blue Jays are betting Scherzer’s command can outthink Glasnow’s velocity. It’s a chess match wrapped in sweat and adrenaline.
Why This Series Matters
The Blue Jays haven’t been to the World Series since 1993. That’s 32 years. A generation. Fans who were kids then are now parents. The Rogers Centre crowd on Friday? Many of them were there in ’93. They’ve waited. They’ve endured. And now? They’re living it.For the Dodgers? It’s about legacy too. They’re the defending champs, the team that broke the 32-year drought in 2020, then won again in 2024. Now they’re chasing an eighth title—the most in franchise history. No team has won back-to-back titles since the Yankees in 1998-2000. The Dodgers want to be the next. But they can’t do it without winning on the road.
Historical odds favor the Game 1 winner: 127 of 196 series (64.8%) have gone to the team that won the opener. That’s why Game 2 was so vital. The Dodgers didn’t just win—they preserved their chances.
What’s Next
Game 3 on October 27 at Dodger Stadium. Game 4 on October 28. If needed, Game 5 on October 29—all in Los Angeles. Then, if the series returns to Toronto, Games 6 and 7 on November 1 and 2. The weather in late October in LA is usually perfect. The energy? It’ll be electric.One thing’s certain: the Blue Jays aren’t just happy to be here. They’re here to win. And the Dodgers? They know better than anyone how quickly a series can turn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the significance of Addison Barger’s grand slam?
Addison Barger’s pinch-hit grand slam in Game 1 was the first in World Series history, breaking a 120-year record for postseason grand slams. It was also the first time a pinch-hitter had driven in four runs in a single World Series inning. The blast ignited Toronto’s nine-run sixth inning, which remains the largest in World Series history since 1993.
Why is Max Scherzer pitching in Game 3 despite his age?
The Blue Jays brought Scherzer in as a veteran stabilizer after his contract with the Mets expired. At 41, he’s the oldest pitcher to start a World Series game since 1984. His experience in high-leverage moments—3 Cy Young Awards, 216 wins—is why Toronto trusted him over their younger arms. He’s not just pitching; he’s mentoring the young rotation.
How does this series compare to the Blue Jays’ 1993 World Series run?
In 1993, the Blue Jays won their second straight title with a veteran core led by Joe Carter and Paul Molitor. This year’s team is younger, with an average age of 28.5, and relies more on power and patience at the plate. The 1993 team won Game 1 at home too—but lost Game 2. This year’s squad flipped the script by winning Game 1 and then fighting back after a Game 2 loss.
What’s the impact of the Dodgers’ $320 million payroll on this series?
The Dodgers’ payroll is the highest in MLB history, but Game 1 exposed its vulnerability: over-reliance on star power and underinvestment in bullpen depth. Blake Snell’s early exit and the lack of reliable relievers in the sixth inning showed that money doesn’t always buy resilience. Toronto’s cheaper, more balanced roster proved that execution can trump expenditure.
Will the Blue Jays have home-field advantage in the later games?
No. The Blue Jays earned home-field advantage by having the better regular-season record (98-64 vs. Dodgers’ 96-66), but because the series is best-of-seven and Game 1 was in Toronto, the format follows the 2-3-2 structure. Games 3, 4, and 5 are in LA. If the series goes to Game 6 or 7, it returns to Rogers Centre on November 1 and 2. The Dodgers are hoping to close it out before then.
What’s the historical significance of a Game 1 win in the World Series?
Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-seven World Series have gone on to win the title 127 times out of 196 attempts—64.8%. That’s a significant edge. But the last time a team won Game 1 and then lost the series was in 2021, when the Braves lost Game 1 to the Astros but won in six. The Dodgers know they’re still in this. The Blue Jays know they’ve got momentum. Neither team is out.
