Two Paths Converge: Dodgers, Blue Jays Set for World Series Battle

The Toronto Blue Jays came back from down 0-2, then down 3-2 to win the American League pennant in seven games, thanks to some late-inning heroics.

The Seattle Mariners looked like they were going to the World Series for the first time in franchise history with a two-run lead entering the seventh inning with Bryan Woo on the mound for Seattle. After a leadoff walk, a single, and a sacrifice bunt, the Mariners then went to Eduardo Bazardo to face the top of the lineup.

It was then that known clutch playoff riser George Springer came to the plate for the biggest moment of Toronto’s season, and he delivered his Jose Bautista moment. Springer powered a go-ahead three-run home run, flipping the script on the Mariners. His series-winning Springer Dinger was 99.1 MPH off the bat and traveled 381 feet into the left field seats.

This game will certainly bring out the “what if” questions, and one is warranted from the Mariners’ side — why did manager Dan Wilson not go to his well-rested closer, Andres Muñoz, to get the biggest outs of the game with the tying runs in scoring position? Muñoz did come on, just for the eighth inning after losing the lead, and pitched a scoreless inning around some traffic.

For the Blue Jays, they went from last place in the AL East in 2024 to AL champs in 2025, and a lot of the credit goes to manager John Schneider, who has had this team rallying with him all season. Schneider has proved he is a great leader of men and has a good feel for in-game managing this series. This is also Toronto’s first pennant since its 1993 World Series championship.

Jeff Hoffman, who has had his fair share of struggles this season, came on to shut the door, striking out the side, all winging to clinch the pennant. It was Hoffman’s second save of the postseason.

The stage for the 2025 World Series is officially set — the Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the Toronto Blue Jays, beginning Friday, October 24th at Rogers Centre. It’s a matchup rich with storylines, talent, and contrasting styles of play that should make for a compelling Fall Classic.

On one side, the Dodgers enter as the National League powerhouse, riding the dominant arms of their pitching staff, which has been the best in baseball throughout this postseason. Their starters have silenced opposing lineups with elite command and strikeout efficiency, while the bullpen has been nearly unhittable in the late innings. At the heart of it all is Shohei Ohtani, whose two-way excellence has defined Los Angeles’ run — his power at the plate and command on the mound could be the ultimate difference-maker after they earned him NLCS MVP honors.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays arrive as one of the most balanced and resilient teams in baseball. Toronto’s lineup thrives on contact and situational hitting, led by stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho, who have anchored an offense built around pressure and consistency rather than raw power. The Jays’ pitching staff — steady, deep, and battle-tested — will face its toughest challenge yet trying to neutralize a Dodgers offense that can strike from any spot in the order.

With the series opening in Toronto, the energy at Rogers Centre will be electric. The battle between Ohtani’s power and the Blue Jays’ disciplined approach at the plate — alongside a clash between two elite pitching staffs — sets the stage for what could be one of the most entertaining and tightly contested World Series matchups in recent memory.

Main Photo Credit: © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images