When George Springer launched an Eduard Bazardo sinker into the Rogers Centre stands for a three-run homer in Game 7 against the Seattle Mariners Monday night, he launched the Toronto Blue Jays into their first World Series since 1993 in the most fitting way possible.
The ALCS was, after all, a series of comebacks for Springer’s side — first, from a two-game deficit, before again bouncing back from the brink of elimination in Game 6 to force a seventh and deciding matchup; the stage was set for one final comeback that came courtesy of Springer’s dinger in the bottom of the seventh, the most dramatic of them all.
What comes next is a World Series 32 years in the making for the Blue Jays, and the tall task of taking down the defending champs as the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers come to town.
How we got here
The Blue Jays made playoff baseball look easy against the Yankees — a combined 23 runs in the first two games certainly made a statement — but the ride to the World Series has been anything but.
Despite a bye to the ALDS, Toronto has been battle-tested, facing a pair of MVP hitters in Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, and climbing back multiple times against the Mariners to not just stay in the race for the AL pennant but win it in dramatic fashion.
The Dodgers made quick work of their opponents, including the MLB-best Brewers. L.A. has just a single loss this October — a statement-maker in itself, but leave it to star Shohei Ohtani to add the exclamation point with a historic outing that saw him strike out 10 and hit three home runs to complete the sweep against Milwaukee and advance to a second straight World Series.
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Watch the Blue Jays in the World Series on Sportsnet
The Toronto Blue Jays are heading to the World Series for the first time in 32 years. Watch the Blue Jays face the Dodgers beginning on Friday at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
What’s at stake
A win for the Blue Jays in Toronto wouldn’t just be a major boost for the home side in this David-versus-Goliath matchup — it would also mark the club’s first win in a World Series since it hoisted the trophy in ’93.
Freddie Freeman set the tone for L.A. in Game 1 last year with the first-ever walk-off grand slam in World Series history, setting the tone for an eventual 4-1 championship win. Victory Friday night would be a big step in their hunt to become the first back-to-back champs since the Yankees claimed a third straight title in 2000.
Starting pitching matchup: Blake Snell vs. Trey Yesavage
The Dodgers’ pitching rotation is dangerous, and Snell is at the top of the list for a reason. The ultimate tone-setter on the mound for L.A. this fall, he took Game 1 of both the wild-card series and the NLCS. Snell has been sensational — 28 strikeouts, a 0.86 ERA, and just five walks over 21 innings pitched across three playoff outings — and the way he shut down Milwaukee’s bats could be troublesome for Toronto.
While L.A. leans on a veteran, Toronto turns to a rookie sensation in Yesavage, whose electric, 11-strikeout playoff debut against New York was the ultimate statement-maker, as was a clutch Game 6 start against Seattle that kept the Blue Jays in the series. Giving the ball to Yesavage to open the World Series gives veteran Kevin Gausman (who played a relief role Monday night) an extra day’s rest, which is key, and could start L.A. off-balance as it faces an arm it has yet to go up against.
Bullpen report
A few days’ rest means fresh arms in both bullpens.
Among the many points of intrigue for Toronto will be the usage of Chris Bassitt in a reliever role. Bassitt was as clutch as they come when stepping into the eighth inning of Game 7 against Seattle in a stadium that was still shaking after Springer’s homer. Will Scheider again lean heavily on his most-deployed reliever in Louis Varland? How often will he turn to closer Jeff Hoffman? A new bullpen puzzle is about to unfold.
The Blue Jays will hope to see the Dodgers turn to their bullpen early — something L.A. tries to avoid, given the strength of their starting rotation and the relative weakness of the bullpen, with the exception of closeout man Roki Sasaki. How deep into the games will Dodgers manager Dave Roberts lean on his starters?
Key lineup decision: Bichette is back
The biggest lineup question in this matchup revolves around one of Toronto’s biggest stars as Bo Bichette gets back into the Blue Jays’ lineup for the first time this post-season after suffering a knee injury late in the campaign. He was listed as one of the team’s seven infielders when the club released it Friday, with Joey Loperfido left off.
Bichette could suit up at his usual shortstop, though whether his knee can handle the league’s most active infield position just yet remains unclear — not to mention, the squad has seen excellent defence from Andrés Giménez in his place, affording Toronto the luxury of patience. A stint as second baseman might be more likely for Bichette, which would likely mean taking out Isiah Kiner-Falefa but freeing up Springer to remain in the role of designated hitter. Should Bichette take DH, Springer would return to the outfield. How — and where — Bichette plays in Game 1 will tell us plenty about what we can expect moving forward in the series.
Storyline to watch: Ohtani vs. Toronto
With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. posting MVP numbers, Springer solidifying his place in baseball lore, Freeman looking to repeat last year’s World Series heroics and Teoscar Hernández returning to his old stomping grounds, this is a star-studded series, to say the least. But the biggest storyline is all about the biggest star at the ballpark: Ohtani.
His historic performance to close out Milwaukee last weekend was cool to see from afar, but now that he’s landed in Toronto, the home side is hoping his bat (and his arm) cools off again.
This one feels personal.
Getting an up-close look at Ohtani — no easy task, considering the swarm of reporters around him on media day — also means confronting a giant what-could’ve-been for the Blue Jays, who made great efforts to sign him before he snubbed the squad for a different team in blue. A similar story played out with Sasaki, another Toronto target that chose L.A. instead.
