Dodgers vs. Blue Jays: 2025 World Series Brings Back Classic Starters
When the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Toronto Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium on Friday, October 24, 2025, the World Series will feel more like a throw‑back to baseball’s golden age than a modern marathon of relievers. The series opener is slated for 8:15 p.m. Eastern, and the drama is already brewing: manager Dave Roberts, who also serves as the team’s field manager, has committed four traditional starters — Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani — to begin the showdown.
Historical Context: A Shift Back to the Workhorse Era
Baseball’s last decade has been dominated by openers, six‑man rotations and a bullpen‑centric philosophy that would make a 1990s manager blush. Yet the Dodgers’ NLCS sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in early October reminded fans that a single arm can still dominate a postseason. Their pitchers logged a combined 28 2/3 innings in four games, allowing just 14 hits and four runs — numbers that haven’t been seen since the 2015 Kansas City Royals’ pitching parade.
Back in 2017, Justin Verlander’s complete‑game victory in the ALCS was the last postseason full‑game effort. This year, Shohei Ohtani matched that feat, delivering a five‑hit shutout that sent Los Angeles to the Fall Classic. It’s a reminder that, despite analytics‑driven trends, the classic "starter" still commands respect.
Pitching Matchups and the Numbers Behind Them
Here’s a quick snapshot of the four Dodgers arms set to start:
- Blake Snell – 11 starts, 61 1/3 innings, 2.35 ERA, 72 K, 26 BB in the regular season; 3 postseason starts, 0.86 ERA, 28 K, 5 BB.
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto – Complete‑game performance in NLCS Game 2; regular‑season line: 15 starts, 85 IP, 2.97 ERA, 112 K.
- Tyler Glasnow – 18 starts, 90 1/3 IP, 3.19 ERA, 106 K; postseason: 2 starts, 0.68 ERA, 18 K.
- Shohei Ohtani – 167 ERA+ (best in the league), first‑time All‑Star pitcher, 5 IP, 0 ER in NLCS clincher.
The Blue Jays, meanwhile, are riding the wave of a comeback ALCS win over the Seattle Mariners. Their young right‑hander Trey Yesavage, 22, has logged six MLB appearances, three of them in the past fortnight. Despite limited experience, his recent flash of velocity — clocking 96 mph on a curveball — has coaches optimistic.
Toronto’s left‑handed options — Mason Fluharty, Eric Lauer and Brendon Little — bring depth, but none have the postseason pedigree of the Dodgers’ quartet.
Player Profiles: Who’s Who on the Mound
Blake Snell grew up in Bonita Springs, Fla., and after a breakout 2023 season won the Cy Young. His sinker‑induced ground balls have become a trademark, a perfect fit for Dodger Stadium’s spacious outfield.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto arrived from Japan’s NPB in 2023, instantly turning heads with a mid‑90s fastball and a splitter that drops like a stone. His complete game in the NLCS proved he can handle pressure.
Tyler Glasnow still carries the scar of a 2021 elbow injury, yet he’s reinvented his arsenal with a sharper cutter. Even with an injury‑limited career, his 2025 resurgence shows resilience.
Shohei Ohtani continues to defy expectations, splitting time between mound and plate. This season, his pitching line earned him an All‑Star nod, while his bat already hit 28 homers.
On the Blue Jays side, Trey Yesavage is a classic "journeyman" story — five uniforms in one year, from Single‑A Dunedin to the big‑time big‑league club. The kid’s fastball rattles, but his control is still a work‑in‑progress.
Reactions: Experts, Players, and Fans Weigh In
MLB.com senior writer Jorge Castillo said, "The World Series matchup will at least produce some incredible pitching showdowns, something that isn’t guaranteed in the age of managing starters and openers." ESPN analyst Jeremy Tache added, "Freddy Freeman is very proud of his Canadian roots, and I expect him to light the night at Rogers Centre." Meanwhile, Bleacher Report columnist Kerry Miller argued that the Dodgers’ reliance on traditional starters could cement Dave Roberts’s Hall‑of‑Fame case.
Fans in Los Angeles are already lining up early for Game 1, sporting vintage Dodgers caps and homemade signs reading "Start ‘Em Up!" Across the border, Toronto supporters are hoping Freeman’s .357 batting average at Rogers Centre will translate into a clutch performance.
Impact: What This Means for Baseball’s Future
If the Dodgers pull off another championship with four starters logging deep innings, it could spark a mini‑revival of the five‑man rotation model. Young teams might reconsider the risk‑heavy opener strategy, especially when a single ace can dominate for seven-plus innings.
Conversely, a Blue Jays victory would reinforce the value of youthful depth and versatility. It would also give a platform to pitchers like Yesavage, proving that the league’s talent pipeline can still churn out surprise stars on the biggest stage.
What’s Next: The Schedule and Possible Scenarios
The full series schedule is as follows:
- Game 1 – Friday, Oct 24 – Dodger Stadium
- Game 2 – Saturday, Oct 25 – Dodger Stadium
- Game 3 – Monday, Oct 27 – Rogers Centre
- Game 4 – Tuesday, Oct 28 – Rogers Centre
- Game 5 (if needed) – Wednesday, Oct 29 – Rogers Centre
- Game 6 (if needed) – Friday, Oct 31 – Dodger Stadium
- Game 7 (if needed) – Saturday, Nov 1 – Dodger Stadium
Should the series go the distance, the final showdown will be a home‑field advantage for Los Angeles, a factor that historically boosts winning odds by roughly 54%.
Background Deep Dive: The Evolution of Starting Pitching
From the dead‑ball era’s workhorse aces to the modern-day "bullpen night," the role of the starter has morphed dramatically. In 2020, the average MLB starter logged just 5.7 innings per game, down from 7.2 in 1995. The Dodgers’ 2025 approach, however, harkens back to the 1970s when managers like Earl Weaver trusted their aces to finish games.
Analytics firms now track "pitch count efficiency" and "batters faced per start" as new metrics. The Dodgers’ current staff boasts an average of 21 batters faced per start in the postseason, edging out the league average of 17. It’s a subtle, but telling, indicator that the team values depth over sheer velocity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will the Dodgers' reliance on traditional starters affect the series?
By allowing starters like Snell and Ohtani to pitch deep, Los Angeles hopes to conserve its bullpen for high‑leverage situations. If the pitchers stay effective past the sixth inning, the Blue Jays will have fewer quality relievers to counter late‑game rallies.
What makes Trey Yesavage a potential game‑changer for Toronto?
Yesavage’s rapid ascent through five different minor‑league jerseys in one season shows adaptability. His fastball now tops out at 96 mph, and his recent strikeout‑to‑walk ratio of 4.5 in Triple‑A suggests he could surprise hitters who haven’t faced him before.
Why is Freddie Freeman’s performance at Rogers Centre relevant?
Freeman, with Canadian roots, has hit .357 in Toronto this season, the highest average of any MLB player at the venue. His familiarity with the park’s dimensions could provide a crucial offensive spark for the Dodgers in Games 3 and 4.
What does a potential Dodgers win mean for manager Dave Roberts?
A fifth World Series title in nine years would solidify Roberts’ reputation as a clutch strategist, bolstering the case for his eventual Hall of Fame induction, a point already highlighted by several veteran analysts.
Is the classic five‑man rotation likely to return across MLB?
If Los Angeles secures the championship with deep starts, other clubs may revisit their staffing models. However, injuries and the growing emphasis on analytics mean any shift will be gradual rather than immediate.