The Los Angeles Dodgers are in unfamiliar territory. After dominating the postseason and appearing destined for back-to-back championships, they now find themselves down three games to two and heading back to Toronto one more time. What looked like a huge momentum gain after the marathon Game 3 victory has evaporated into a do-or-die situation.
The Marathon That Seemingly Meant Nothing
Monday night’s epic 18-inning saga felt like it would break Toronto’s spirit. Freddie Freeman‘s walk-off homer in the bottom of the 18th seemed to signal growing confidence among Dodger players.
Superstar Shohei Ohtani reached base nine times, setting a postseason record. The game lasted six hours and 39 minutes. The Dodgers had outlasted the Blue Jays and grabbed a 2-1 series lead.
Except Toronto didn’t break or fold. They came back less than 18 hours later and punched the Dodgers right in the mouth.
Toronto Regains Control
Game 4 exposed what we feared all along — that the Los Angeles offense can go dormant and disappear for long stretches. Shane Bieber navigated through five-plus innings, striking out Ohtani twice and holding the Dodgers to just one run. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. broke the tie with a two-run homer off Ohtani in the third, and Toronto never looked back. The Blue Jays’ four-run seventh inning off the Dodgers’ vulnerable bullpen sealed a 6-2 victory and tied the series at two games apiece.
Game 5 brought more of the same nightmare. Righty Trey Yesavage — the 22-year-old rookie who barely pitched in the regular season — absolutely carved up the Dodgers lineup. He struck out 10 batters through the first five innings, joining Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers to record double-digit strikeouts in the first five frames of a World Series game. Back-to-back leadoff homers from Davis Schneider and Guerrero set the tone early, and Toronto cruised to a 6-1 victory.
The Dodgers’ offense managed just six runs over the two losses. They’ve been held to a .213 batting average in this series and have gone ice cold when it matters most. Blake Snell‘s command issues seem like ancient history now — the real problem is that this lineup can’t string together quality at-bats against Toronto’s pitching.
What the Dodgers Need to Do to Win
Heading into Game 6 on Friday night at Rogers Centre, the Dodgers face elimination for the first time this postseason. They’ll turn to righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who delivered a complete-game masterpiece in Game 2. If anyone can give LA the pitching performance they desperately need, it’s Yamamoto. He’s proven he can dominate this Blue Jays lineup when he’s locked in with his six-pitch arsenal.
But pitching alone won’t be enough. The Dodgers need their stars to show up offensively. Ohtani has been brilliant at times but inconsistent. Mookie Betts and Freeman need to find another gear. Max Muncy has to provide protection. This lineup is too talented to be held to one or two runs repeatedly, yet that’s exactly what’s happened.
The bullpen must also hold up. Toronto has feasted on Dodgers relievers, and Los Angeles skipper Dave Roberts can’t afford another meltdown like the sixth inning of Game 1 or the seventh inning of Game 4. If Yamamoto can give LA seven or eight strong innings, it could play into the hands of the Jays.
Toronto’s Momentum
Make no mistake — Toronto has seized complete control of this series. They’ve won 49 comeback games during the regular season and have shown time and time again they don’t panic when trailing. They lost that gut-wrenching 18-inning game and immediately bounced back to win two straight. That’s championship DNA.
The Blue Jays head home with veteran righty Kevin Gausman lined up to pitch Game 6. Rogers Centre will be absolutely rocking. This is everything Toronto has dreamed about since 1993.
Can Los Angeles Pull Off the Improbable?
The Dodgers need to win two straight in a hostile environment against a team that’s outplayed them for two straight games. It’s possible —this roster has too much talent to count out completely.
Yamamoto can dominate. The lineup can wake up. The bullpen can hold.
But right now, the defending champions are on the ropes, and the Blue Jays smell blood. Friday night’s Game 6 will reveal whether the Dodgers have one more comeback left in them or if Toronto’s magical season ends with champagne on Canadian soil.