The stage for the 2025 World Series is officially set after the Blue Jays took down the Mariners in an enthralling ALCS Game 7 at the Rogers Centre. Now, Toronto will host the Dodgers on Friday for Game 1 of the World Series, the first time the franchise has played in the Fall Classic since 1993.
The Blue Jays joined some rare company in MLB history after reaching the World Series despite losing the first two games at home in a best-of-seven series. Prior to the 2025 Jays, only three teams had ever accomplished that type of comeback––the Yankees in the 1996 World Series, the Mets in the '86 World Series, and the Royals in the '85 World Series.
Interestingly enough, Toronto and Los Angeles were the final two contenders in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes in the 2023 offseason. Now, just two years later, Ohtani will be looking to break the hearts of Blue Jays fans all over again.
There's star power on both teams. The Dodgers, of course, are loaded with talent, including four former MVPs in Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Clayton Kershaw. Their rotation has been outstanding in the postseason as the team looks to defend its title, and though the bullpen is a cause for concern, it's held its own thus far into the playoff run. Los Angeles is pretty heavily favored heading into the series, but it will have to be at its best to handle a Blue Jays team that has plenty of fight.
As for Toronto, there's perhaps no hotter hitter in baseball at present than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has already belted six home runs in the postseason while sporting a batting average over .400. He and Game 7 hero George Springer will lead the charge for the Blue Jays as they look to bring home the franchise's first World Series title since 1993.
Let's make some bold predictions for this year's World Series matchup.
Shohei Ohtani will become sixth player to win MVP and World Series MVP in same season
Ohtani hasn't had the best postseason, but he made up for much of his struggles at the plate with his performance in Game 4 of the NLCS, during which he hit three solo home runs and also dominated on the mound, striking out 10 batters.
That Game 4 was exactly what Ohtani needed before the World Series, and I'm expecting he'll be dialed in for the Dodgers as they look to repeat as champions. The two-way superstar didn't have a home run in last year's Fall Classic, but I'm predicting that will change in 2025 and Ohtani will hit at least two homers in the series. I'm also anticipating another stellar pitching outing from the 31-year-old, in which he will record eight-plus strikeouts without surrendering no more than two runs.
A showing like that would put Ohtani in position to join a select group of players—Sandy Koufax, Frank Robinson, Reggie Jackson, Willie Stargell and Mike Schmidt—to be named MVP for the regular season and World Series in the same year.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will stay scalding hot
There's perhaps been no hitter seeing the ball better than Guerrero of late, and it hasn't really mattered what caliber of pitcher he's facing. While many Blue Jays batters will likely struggle against the superb Dodgers' rotation, I'm not anticipating Guerrero will be one of them.
Guerrero owns an absurd .442/.510/.930 slash line with six home runs, 12 RBIs and 19 total hits in 11 playoff games. He's had nine extra base hits and drawn six walks, all while striking out just three times. The previous record for fewest strikeouts with six postseason home runs was three. He's collected at least one hit in all but two games, and has six games with two or more hits.
While I don't think Toronto will be able to pull off the upset in the World Series, I think Guerrero will have a tremendous series and continue to hit the ball well. I'm expecting him to have at least two games with two-plus hits, as well as two home runs.
Dodgers' bullpen will blow a game
The Dodgers' Achilles' heel this season has been the bullpen. Los Angeles doesn't have many reliable arms out of the 'pen, and although Roki Sasaki has been solid in the closer role, he's not very experienced pitching in late innings. Blake Treinen struggled all season, and things have only worsned in the postseason. He owns a 7.36 ERA in seven appearances this October, surrendering three runs in 3 2/3 innings.
Dodgers relievers had a 4.27 ERA during the regular season. That ranked 20th among the 30 MLB teams. Los Angeles will be hoping to lean on its starting rotation as much as possible, but it will be vulnerable when forced to make a call to the bullpen. I'm expecting at least one game of the series to be stolen by the Blue Jays after a disappointing outing from L.A.'s relievers.
George Springer will deliver a walk-off hit
This prediction ties into the previous one. I'm expecting the Dodgers to win the series, but I think Springer will prevent Toronto from getting swept. Springer has been a clutch postseason performer throughout his career, and he lifted the Jays into the World Series with his three-run homer in Game 7 against the Mariners.
Springer delivers in big spots, and I'm expecting he'll get another opportunity to do precisely that in a key moment of the World Series. For all the big, go-ahead hits he's provided in October throughout his illustrious career, Springer has never collected a walk-off hit in the playoffs. I'm predicting he'll do precisely that in this series.
Dodgers will win series in five games
Los Angeles is heavily favored in this series, and I think the team will live up to expectations and take care of the Blue Jays in just five games. The Dodgers needed five games to dispose of the Yankees in 2024, and now they will have the chance to deliver the same fate to the team that knocked New York out of the postseason this year.
L.A. has plenty of playoff experience, with many returning players from last year's World Series team. They know what it takes to get the job done on the biggest stage, and that experience will certainly benefit them against a Toronto side that's generally lacking in that regard. I'm expecting the Dodgers will make quick work of the Blue Jays and end this series in no more than five games.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dodgers vs. Blue Jays: Five Bold Predictions for 2025 World Series.