Three Things We Learned From The Blue Jays' Game 1 Win Over The Dodgers

Historically, nan victor of Game 1 of nan World Series has gone connected to triumph nan Fall Classic 64% of nan time.

That's bully news, of course, if you're a instrumentality of nan Blue Jays, who emphatically captured Game 1 of nan 2025 World Series connected Friday nighttime by a last people of 11–4.

Here are 3 takeaways from Toronto's series-opening win.

The azygous biggest storyline entering nan World Series was nan Dodgers' starting rotation and its power passim nan postseason. Entering Game 1, Los Angeles's starters boasted a 1.40 ERA this postseason, and were coming disconnected a ascendant NLCS successful which they held nan Brewers to a .118 batting mean arsenic a team.

Getting to nan Dodgers' bullpen was going to beryllium paramount for nan Blue Jays, not only against Los Angeles ace Blake Snell successful Game 1, but passim nan series.

Snell sounded 3 scoreless innings to statesman nan game, but Toronto made him work. The Blue Jays put runners connected guidelines successful each of nan first 3 frames, driving Snell's transportation count up successful nan process. In nan fourth, nan reliable early at-bats paid dividends. Trailing 2–0, Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk singled earlier halfway fielder Daulton Varsho took a Snell four-seam fastball heavy to dormant halfway to necktie nan game.

The crippled was each square, which of people was only a precursor for what was to travel successful nan sixth.

The Dodgers' bullpen? Not arsenic bully arsenic their starters!

This was also a large storyline heading into nan World Series. Could nan Blue Jays get into nan Dodgers bullpen and make nan portion pay? As antecedently mentioned, nan Los Angeles starting rotation entered nan Fall Classic pinch a 1.40 postseason ERA. The bullpen, connected nan different hand, had a 4.88 ERA.

The sixth inning of Game 1 provided a blueprint for really Toronto could triumph nan World Series. Grind retired bully early at-bats against nan Dodgers starters, past onslaught nan bullpen. The Blue Jays posted a nine-spot successful nan sixth, blowing nan crippled unfastened pinch nan astir runs scored successful a azygous inning of a World Series crippled since 1968. The expansive slam from Toronto utilityman Addison Barger - which efficaciously put nan crippled distant - was nan first pinch deed expansive slam successful World Series history.

Three of nan 9 runs successful nan sixth were charged to Snell, nan remaining six were courtesy of nan Los Angeles bullpen. You can't inquire for overmuch amended than that if you're a instrumentality of nan Blue Jays.

The Dodgers request much retired of nan apical of their lineup, starting successful Game 2. Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani deed a two-run location tally successful nan apical of nan seventh, which came pinch Los Angeles trailing 11–2. Toronto fans are surely happy that Ohtani's biggest deed of nan nighttime came pinch nan crippled good successful hand. He vanished 1-for-4. Shortstop Mookie Betts and first baseman Freddie Freeman were a mixed 1-for-7 connected Friday night, underscoring nan Dodgers' struggles astatine nan plate.

The way grounds of those 3 players is measurement excessively bully to expect different pedestrian capacity successful Game 2. More tone-setting astatine nan apical of nan lineup will beryllium thing to support an oculus connected for nan Los Angeles connected Saturday.

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