MLB fall classic 2025 Rival Watch: U.S. media reacts to Blue Jays’ impressive Game 1 showing
With the World Series returning to Toronto on Friday night, the Blue Jays delivered a performance that may have taken 32 years to prepare.
Led by a nine-run sixth inning, the Blue Jays dominated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the Fall Classic, overcoming Blake Snell’s pitch count to defeat the defending champions 3-1.
The 11-4 finale fell far short of pre-series expectations, which had Los Angeles considered a favorite to win a second consecutive Commissioner’s Trophy.
Looking to Live, Currently Behind
And while there’s plenty of time to build momentum in this best-of-seven series, the Blue Jays’ dominance in Game 1 sent a message: they’re not just happy to be playing on the game’s biggest stage, but they’re here to get the job done—no matter how expensive their opponent’s roster is.
So, as both teams take the field to prepare for Saturday’s decisive second game, here’s what MLB analysts have to say about Toronto’s decisive first-game win at Rogers Centre.
ESPN — MLB Playoffs: Blue Jays’ World Series return was worth the wait
After victories over the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series and the Seattle Mariners in the seven-game Championship Series, the Blue Jays’ playing style is no longer a secret to the baseball world.
However, the Blue Jays showcased their offensive potential in Friday’s win. Their lineup, working hard against Snell—who was playing at full strength this postseason—refused to strike out and finally gave their best performance after Daulton Varsho turned the tables with a two-run home run off Snell in the fourth inning.
A will to live, now left behind, live
After the match, ESPN’s Jeff Passan praised the Blue Jays’ relentless work throughout the season.
“In an era of high strikeouts, the Blue Jays don’t do that. In an era of weak defense, the Blue Jays play cleanly. And even against a team as legendary as the Dodgers, a team full of late-season and second-chance players can look like a formidable team.”
“Nothing was more impressive than the last inning of the sixth. It was one of the most spectacular half-innings in World Series history, a nine-run frenzy that showcased every virtue of the Blue Jays’ offensive game. Toronto entered the series with Major League Baseball’s best offensive game ever this postseason, scoring 6.5 runs per game, nearly two more than the Dodgers. The sixth inning showed how.”
In that historic sixth game, the Blue Jays scored the most runs in a single World Series since the 1968 Detroit Tigers, who scored 10 runs in the third inning of the sixth game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Six Toronto batters reached before a single out was recorded to begin the historic inning. And even after the Dodgers grounded into a 6-2 fielder’s choice off George Springer for the first out of the inning, Addison Barger hit the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, giving the Blue Jays a commanding 9-2 lead.
Fox Sports MLB – Derek Jeter Explains the Importance of Game 2
Did the Blue Jays put all the pressure on the Dodgers with their Game 1 win?
If you ask Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter, that’s pretty much the case.
“I think their offense will get better as the series goes on,” Long said. Jeter, who has been the Yankees’ captain since 2008, said on a Fox Sports MLB panel after the game. “That’s why I said, ‘If the Blue Jays win a few games here early, that’s a problem.'”
History agrees with Jeter.
According to Sarah Langs of MLB.com, in the last 120 World Series, the winner of the first game has won the championship 76 times (63 percent), including 24 of the 30 Fall Classics in the wild-card era.
Jeter continued, “Now, for the first time this postseason, the pressure is on the Dodgers. Los Angeles has to win tomorrow night. You don’t want to lose to a team that has won four of five games, and two of them in this stadium.”
“So, the pressure is on them. The pitching staff has been so excellent that they haven’t even needed to hit—they have to hit when playing against the Blue Jays.”
The second game could be challenging offensively for both teams, as Kevin Gausman and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will open for their respective clubs. Both starters enter Saturday’s playoffs with ERAs of 2.00 or less, a result of their strong regular seasons.
On the West Coast, there’s been considerable talk about the Dodgers’ bullpen collapsing behind Snell.
Los Angeles’ biggest weakness entering the World Series, the Blue Jays employed the perfect strategy to activate the Dodgers’ weak arm early. Toronto welcomed both Emmett Sheehan and Anthony Banda to the series, who combined for five hits, six runs, one walk, and two home runs, while striking out only three.
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