After opening the World Series with a nine-inning party at Rogers Centre last week, the Toronto Blue Jays’ rotation was held in check in Game 2 thanks to a sensational complete-game performance by Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Now, after a day’s rest and a trip west to L.A., the Blue Jays will try to bounce back and regain the series lead as the two sides enter an intense three-day stretch starting with Monday night’s Game 3.
How we got here
Yamamoto’s incredible Game 2 outing was his second complete game of this post-season. For a team whose bullpen has let them down — and let opponents rally back — Yamamoto’s efforts marked a win within a win for the Dodgers.
The Blue Jays, too, saw strong pitching from Game 2 starter Kevin Gausman, who held the Dodgers to just a single run through six innings but struggled in the seventh, giving up a pair of homers and ultimately prompting manager John Schneider to turn to his bullpen to get the club out of a sticky situation. In the end, the Blue Jays’ offence simply couldn’t keep pace to get Gausman the win for his efforts.
What’s at stake
With the series locked at 1-1, it’s now a best-of-five. The Dodgers lost just a single game through three rounds en route to the final showdown, and in last year’s World Series lost only once to the New York Yankees.
If the Blue Jays can bounce back, they’ll not only be the first this post-season to edge the champs twice in a series, they’ll guarantee themselves a trip back to Toronto.
Starting pitching matchup: Max Scherzer vs. Tyler Glasnow
Another remarkable chapter was added to the lore of Max Scherzer with his fiery Game 4 outing in Seattle to even up the ALCS — complete with an instantly iconic interaction with Schneider on the mound. Now, he gets the Game 3 call, bringing an opportunity to add another victory and propel the Blue Jays back into the lead. With his start, the 41-year-old becomes the first player to pitch for four different teams in the World Series.
The Dodgers turn to another elite arm in Tyler Glasnow, who’s had an incredible post-season. He’s registered an ERA of 0.68 through just over 13 innings pitched across two starts and three appearances, with 18 strikeouts while giving up just a single earned run.
Bullpen report
With three games in three days, bullpen management is going to be in the spotlight even more than usual. The Blue Jays’ commanding Game 1 lead allowed Schneider to give his best relievers an extra day’s rest, while L.A. had the luxury of Yamamoto playing a complete game in the second act of the series, altogether avoiding a group of bullpen arms that have been the squad’s weakness.
Schneider turned to Braydon Fisher in both Toronto games, and brought in Louis Varland and Jeff Hoffman to close out Game 2. Everyone will be available, and with a day’s rest going into an intense stretch, the bullpen puzzle of Game 3 should tell us a lot about how Schneider plans to approach the matchups that follow.
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Watch the Blue Jays in the World Series on Sportsnet
The World Series shifts to California as the Toronto Blue Jays look for their first title in 32 years against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Watch Game 3 on Monday at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
Key lineup decision: Bichette is back (again)
After making his playoff debut in Game 1, suiting up at second base and showing out at home plate with a solid effort that had him looking like he hadn’t missed a beat, Bichette was held out of the starting lineup for Game 2 but did get into the rotation late as a pinch-hitter.
Game 3 will see the star infielder back in the lineup, and back at second base. That keeps Andres Gimenez at shortstop, where he’s been excellent, and should also see George Springer keep hold of the DH slot.
Storyline to watch: Can the Blue Jays get to Glasnow early?
For the first few innings of Game 2, it looked like the Blue Jays were going to get to Yamamoto. Of course, that all changed once the starter really settled in (and stayed for the entire game). As a result, the Dodgers were able to close out the win without using a closer — allowing their weak bullpen to stay out of the matchup, and giving star Roki Sasaki extra rest.
The Jays were successful in chasing Blake Snell out of Game 1 in their incredible nine-run sixth inning, which ultimately sealed the victory for the home side.
The Blue Jays must try everything to avoid another long outing from another elite starter — especially knowing Shohei Ohtani is next up on the mound, Tuesday night.
