The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the brink of making baseball history, preparing to defend their World Series crown against the Toronto Blue Jays in a matchup brimming with storylines, star power, and a dash of controversy. As the city of Los Angeles buzzes with anticipation, the Dodgers’ clubhouse is laser-focused on achieving what no team has managed in a quarter-century: back-to-back World Series titles, a feat last accomplished by the New York Yankees 25 years ago.
Inside the Dodgers’ clubhouse, the National League Championship Series (NLCS) trophy sits on a small table, adorned with a sign that simply reads ‘Team Effort.’ But make no mistake—this team is aiming for an even bigger prize. “I think everybody is locked and loaded and ready to see some history,” declared shortstop Mookie Betts. “We’re ready to make it.” The Dodgers’ journey to the Fall Classic has been nothing short of electric, and their eyes are fixed firmly on the Commissioner’s Trophy.
It wasn’t always a smooth ride. Just three months ago, infielder Miguel Rojas reflected, “It wasn’t really a good opportunity when we were looking at that three months ago, but now it’s like it’s here. We have it in front of us and we’re going to give it everything we have.” The Dodgers, who had previously stumbled in the postseason after lengthy bye weeks, took a different path this year. Instead of resting on their laurels, they battled through the Wild Card Series against Cincinnati and then swept the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, notching nine wins in ten playoff games. That dominant run set them up for six days of rest and preparation before the World Series, which begins Friday, October 24, at Toronto’s Rogers Centre.
“Some guys are hitting every day, some guys are re-setting, taking it slow,” Betts explained of their approach to the break. “We’ve been together so much throughout the year, so that plays a little part in guys kind of want to enjoy a little family time before we get back rolling again. It’s kind of a balance.”
Of course, it’s impossible to talk about the Dodgers’ postseason without marveling at Shohei Ohtani’s historic heroics. In Game 4 of the NLCS, Ohtani delivered what many are calling one of the greatest performances in baseball history. He became just the third player ever to hit three home runs in a game as a starting pitcher and the only player since at least 1906 to reach double digits in both total bases at the plate (12) and strikeouts on the mound (10) in a single game. Ohtani’s six scoreless innings and three homers left even seasoned baseball observers scrambling for comparisons.
“Once Shohei Ohtani homered for the third time—shortly after wrapping up his six scoreless innings on the mound—the superlatives began in earnest,” wrote one analyst. Was it the best baseball performance of all time? The debate rages on, but what’s clear is that Ohtani has redefined what’s possible for a two-way player on the game’s biggest stage. Comparing Ohtani’s feat to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game, Carli Lloyd’s World Cup hat trick, and even Secretariat’s legendary Belmont win, the consensus is that Ohtani’s combination of pitching and hitting excellence is virtually unmatched in modern sports.
Ohtani’s performance stands in stark contrast to historical greats like Don Larsen, who threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series but contributed little at the plate. The only comparable baseball feats are Jim Tobin’s three-homer game as a pitcher in 1942 and Guy Hecker’s in 1886, but neither did so in the postseason spotlight. Rick Wise’s 1971 no-hitter with two home runs is close, but Ohtani’s impact in a deciding playoff game puts him in a league of his own.
As the Dodgers prepare for the World Series, their bullpen could see a boost from reliever Tanner Scott. After being dropped from the NLDS roster due to an abscess that required surgery, Scott is now eligible to return. “I feel a lot better now,” Scott said. “Threw a couple bullpens, see where it takes me.” Despite leading the majors in blown saves this season with 10 and posting a 4.74 ERA in 61 appearances, Scott is unconcerned about rustiness. “Playoff energy is different,” he stated, determined to contribute if called upon.
The Dodgers’ opponent, the Toronto Blue Jays, arrives in the World Series after a dramatic seven-game victory over the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series. Needing late-game heroics from George Springer, the Blue Jays clinched their first pennant in decades, setting up a thrilling showdown with the defending champions. The Blue Jays finished the regular season with 94 wins—one better than the Dodgers’ 93—earning them home-field advantage for the series. The Dodgers and Blue Jays last met in August, with Los Angeles taking two of three games at Dodger Stadium, though Toronto rallied late to steal the finale.
The 2025 World Series schedule is set: Games 1 and 2 will be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Friday, October 24, and Saturday, October 25, both at 5 p.m. PT. The series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Games 3 and 4 on Monday, October 27, and Tuesday, October 28, with a potential Game 5 on Wednesday, October 29. If necessary, Games 6 and 7 return to Toronto on Friday, October 31, and Saturday, November 1. Every game will be broadcast on FOX, with Joe Davis and John Smoltz providing commentary, joined by reporters Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci.
Yet, the Dodgers’ postseason has not been without controversy. During the NLDS in Milwaukee on October 13, a viral confrontation between Brewers fan Shannon Kobylarczyk and Latino Dodgers fan Ricardo Fosado brought unwanted attention. Kobylarczyk was recorded telling Fosado, “Let’s call ICE,” a comment that quickly spread online. The fallout was swift: Kobylarczyk lost her job, stepped down from the Make-A-Wish Wisconsin board, and both she and Fosado were banned from future games at the Milwaukee ballpark. Fosado, for his part, expressed empathy: “You had a moment of heated and then you said something that, you know, probably wasn’t nice, but I don’t think that it should, she should not have got fired. It’s my opinion. I think everybody deserves second chances. I think everybody makes mistakes. Nobody got hurt besides the feelings and egos. I mean, we all live another day.”
As the Dodgers and Blue Jays gear up for Friday’s opening pitch, the focus is back on the field, where two talented, hungry teams will battle for baseball’s ultimate prize. With Shohei Ohtani rewriting the record books, a resilient Dodgers squad chasing dynasty status, and the Blue Jays eager to spoil the party, this World Series promises drama, fireworks, and perhaps another chapter for the ages.
So as the lights shine bright in Toronto and Los Angeles, fans everywhere are ready to witness if history will be made once again—or if the Blue Jays will pen their own unforgettable story.
