The Fall Classic is finally descending upon Chavez Ravine, and with the Los Angeles Dodgers – Toronto Blue Jays series split at one game apiece, Game 3 of this five-game stretch is not just a game—it’s the pivot point of the 2025 World Series. Whoever prevails today will seize the all-important, fleeting momentum that propels teams toward a title, particularly with three consecutive days of action now set in Los Angeles.
Dodgers- Blue Jays Pitchers Duel
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The stage is perfectly set for a battle of wills on the mound. As advertised, we are treated to a classic duel featuring two veteran right-handers: the legendary Max Scherzer for the Blue Jays and the hard-throwing Tyler Glasnow for the Dodgers. This isn’t just a pitching matchup; it’s a strategic chess match built on the premise that “good pitching beats good hitting in nearly every instance, especially in the postseason.”
For the Blue Jays, 41-year-old Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young winner, brings an intimidating pedigree and a storied postseason résumé. He is precisely the kind of “tough on opening batters” veteran whose early command will be crucial in neutralizing a star-studded Dodgers lineup. For the Dodgers, Glasnow’s dominant postseason performance. A sparkling 0.68 ERA across 13 1/3 innings with 18 strikeouts suggests his recent shoulder issues are firmly in the rearview mirror. His imposing presence, built on a six-foot-eight frame, pits an intimidating fastball against a Blue Jays lineup that has proved its mettle by wearing down pitch counts.
Vote For Your Favorite Dodgers Duo: Ohtani – Yamamoto, Betts – Freeman, Hernandez – Hernandez
But the Dodgers’ true foundation for Game 3 was laid two nights ago in Toronto. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, in a remarkable feat of old-school dominance, threw a complete-game masterpiece in Game 2. This is the rare feat that Yardbarker highlighted, joining the company of Dodgers legends like Sandy Koufax and Orel Hershiser with a World Series complete game, and becoming the first pitcher with back-to-back postseason complete games since Curt Schilling in 2001.
Yamamoto’s nine innings of one-run ball did more than tie the series; it gave the entire Dodgers bullpen three days of rest, a massive, hidden advantage heading into a three-game homestand. The Blue Jays’ bullpen, after the Game 1 explosion and Gausman’s Game 2 outing, will likely be tapped earlier.
Now, with Scherzer, who missed time in 2025 with a thumb injury—expected to face a full-strength, albeit slumping, Dodgers “Big Three” of Ohtani, Betts, and Freeman, the tension is palpable. The Blue Jays are bolstered by the return of Bo Bichette, but the pressure will be immense for Toronto’s offense to deliver early against Glasnow to avoid the fate that befell them in Game 2.
This series, shifting to the West Coast, is a five-game sprint to the finish, and Game 3 is the starting gun. The victor today will not only take a 2-1 lead but will inherit the psychological edge, the rested bullpen, and the home-field roar of Dodger Stadium. For the team that can execute their strategy on the mound and seize this moment, they will not just win a game – they will be prepared to win another championship!
