By way of six video games, the 2025 World Collection has served up high-scoring offensive surges and lockdown defensive efforts, dramatic comebacks and late-game stress, sprints and steals and even a marathon.
So, it’s solely becoming {that a} showdown that’s seen all of it ought to go the space. And on Saturday evening in Toronto, one evening after the Dodgers’ 3-1 Sport 6 victory to pressure Sport 7 (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT), the Blue Jays and Dodgers will go head-to-head one remaining time with the World Collection title on the road.
After taking a 3-2 collection lead with a commanding Sport 5 win over the Dodgers in L.A., the stage was set for the Blue Jays to say the World Collection crown at residence Friday evening in entrance of a frenzied crowd able to have fun a championship on Halloween.
The Dodgers had different plans. L.A. held the Blue Jays’ bats (principally) in verify with one other heroic outing by starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who allowed only a single run and registered six strikeouts in a 3-1 victory for the guests. Regardless of a powerful outing from Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman and the offence attending to L.A.’s bullpen sooner than anticipated, Toronto couldn’t muster up a lot in the way in which of manufacturing to benefit from alternatives following Yamamoto’s exit from the matchup.
A surge of hope with three outs remaining was squashed by a weird sequence of occasions on the backside of the ninth — a lodged ball that restricted Addison Barger’s near-homer to a double, adopted by an unlucky double play on Barger’s aggressive base-running gamble that didn’t repay for the house facet.
The stakes don’t get any larger than this. There’s a championship on the road, and only one recreation left to say it on this David vs. Goliath showdown that has really gone the space.
A win for the Blue Jays would mark the franchise’s first World Collection title since 1993. That is additionally the primary time Toronto is taking part in in a World Collection Sport 7.
L.A., in the meantime, is one win away from being topped back-to-back champions — a title that may make them the primary crew to win two in a row for the reason that New York Yankees gained their third straight trophy in 2000.
Scherzer is not any stranger to high-pressure conditions. He was on the mound the final time a World Collection went to a seventh and deciding matchup, propelling the Washington Nationals to victory over the Houston Astros in 2019. The 41-year-old has already gifted Blue Jays followers with a few of the greatest, most dramatic moments of this wild playoff run, so it’s solely becoming that he’s bought the ball for this final showdown. With so many arms accessible behind him — together with starters on quick relaxation — the query shall be: How lengthy does supervisor John Schneider lean on the veteran?
An identical query is being requested concerning the Dodgers’ use of Shohei Ohtani, who has but to be confirmed because the starter by the crew however is the seemingly and logical alternative. Tyler Glasnow was initially lined as much as begin Sport 7, however that modified when L.A. supervisor Dave Roberts turned to Glasnow to shut out Sport 6. He didn’t pitch sufficient to rule out heavy utilization one evening later, however deploying Ohtani as starter is the perfect name as a result of it’s the solely name for the Dodgers in the event that they wish to see the dual-threat sensation on the mound. MLB guidelines state that whereas Ohtani can stay within the recreation because the membership’s designated hitter after beginning the sport as pitcher, he can not proceed to hit following his removing from the matchup as a reliever with out being slotted right into a defensive place similar to outfielder.
Schneider turned to veteran starter-turned-reliever Chris Bassitt for the ultimate three outs Friday evening, saving nearer Jeff Hoffman — now with two full days of relaxation — for Sport 7. Who steps in earlier than Hoffman’s seemingly look is likely one of the most fascinating touchpoints of this matchup — as a result of whether or not or not arms are rested, that is really an all-hands-on-deck affair for each side. Which means including starters Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage to the bullpen crew. Ought to Scherzer present any indicators of slowing down, Schneider might deploy a real pitch-by-committee strategy. Of the 2, Bieber is the better-rested arm and might be leaned on for an extended reduction stint if obligatory. Even Sport 6 starter Kevin Gausman, coming off a 93-pitch outing, might take the mound if want be.
The Dodgers hoped to lean on Roki Sasaki to finish Sport 6, however needed to flip to some further arms to safe the win Friday evening. That makes Roberts’ recreation plan attention-grabbing. Will we see Tyler Glasnow in a reduction position once more? The starter was initially slated to open Sport 7 earlier than leaping into motion Friday and recording his first profession save, and will play a major middle-innings position Saturday. Roberts informed reporters Friday evening that everybody aside from Yamamoto could be accessible for Sport 7.
George Springer’s return to the lineup at DH was a welcomed sight, as was his third-inning single that was one in all his hardest-hit balls of the playoffs regardless of coping with a number of accidents and apparent discomfort. He’s not the one banged-up Blue Jay — Bo Bichette, too, is working by means of a lingering knee harm that’s seen him wholesome sufficient to hit however hampered on the subject of base-running. The questions for Schneider will seemingly come deeper into the lineup and later within the recreation when he navigates pinch-hit or pinch-run conditions. Does Davis Schneider get into the lineup? It’d be arduous to justify taking Nathan Lukes or Andres Gimenez out contemplating their defensive worth. Might Addison Barger be bumped up the lineup? He’s been sensational on the plate this post-season.
After we’re speaking a couple of Sport 7, it feels inconceivable to choose only a single storyline. This Blue Jays run has featured so many various names — stars and role-players alike — taking up the position of hero, however with the stakes this excessive and the highlight this brilliant, it’s arduous to look away from the apparent: Ohtani vs. Vlad Guerrero Jr.
MVP versus MVP, with a World Collection title and legacies on the road.
Guerrero hit a statement-making homer off Ohtani in Sport 4. With Ohtani seemingly on the mound once more, might we see one other? Ohtani’s final series-clinching efficiency — a Sport 4 masterclass on the mound and on the plate — was historic. Guerrero’s complete post-season has seen him write his identify into the historical past books a number of instances over.
We’re about to witness the sport’s greatest on its greatest stage, and though nobody participant can win the title alone, these two MVPs are completely positioned to guide their respective groups right into a showdown for the ages.
