The Toronto Blue Jays are one win away from capturing the World Series title after a dominant 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5, powered by rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage’s record-setting performance.
Yesavage, in only his eighth Major League start, delivered a masterclass on the mound, striking out 12 batters over seven innings while allowing just three hits and one run. His 12 strikeouts set a new record for the most by a pitcher 22 or younger in World Series history, eclipsing a mark that had stood for 75 years. The rookie’s slider and splitter were virtually unhittable, generating 23 swings-and-misses and leaving the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup baffled throughout the night. This outing echoed legends like Sandy Koufax, as Yesavage became the first pitcher since 2000 to fan 12 in a Fall Classic game, cementing his place in postseason lore.
The Blue Jays set the tone immediately, making World Series history by hitting back-to-back home runs on the first three pitches of the game. Davis Schneider led off with a 373-foot blast, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed with a 394-foot shot, marking the first time any team has started a World Series game with consecutive homers. This explosive start put Dodgers ace Blake Snell on the back foot from the outset, forcing him to abandon his fastball-heavy approach early. The early offense energized the Toronto dugout and set the stage for a commanding performance that kept the sold-out Dodger Stadium crowd subdued.
Despite the early deficit, the Dodgers managed a solo home run from Kiké Hernández in the third inning, but that was the extent of their scoring. Los Angeles’ offense, which has struggled throughout the series, mustered only four hits total, with their top hitters—Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman—combining to go 1-for-15 with eight strikeouts. Manager Dave Roberts’ lineup shuffle, moving Smith ahead of Betts, failed to spark the dormant bats, leaving the team in a precarious position as they scored just four runs over their last 29 innings.
Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, battled after the rocky start, pitching into the seventh inning but ultimately surrendering five earned runs over 6.2 frames. He adjusted his approach, relying more on off-speed pitches after the early homers, but the Blue Jays continued to pressure him, adding runs in the fourth and seventh innings. A misplayed fly ball by Teoscar Hernández in right field led to an additional run, compounding the Dodgers’ frustrations. Snell’s 116-pitch effort highlighted the bullpen concerns for Los Angeles, as reliever Edgardo Henriquez allowed key insurance runs in the seventh.
With the win, the Blue Jays head back to Toronto with a 3-2 series advantage, needing just one more victory to secure their first World Series championship since 1993. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday night at Rogers Centre, where the home crowd is expected to be electric. The pitching matchup features a rematch of Game 2, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting for the Dodgers against Kevin Gausman for the Blue Jays. Yamamoto pitched a complete game in their last encounter, but Toronto’s resilient lineup and Yesavage’s emergence have shifted the momentum firmly in their favor.
The Dodgers now face elimination and must win two consecutive games on the road to defend their title and become the first repeat champions in 25 years. Their offense must awaken against a confident Blue Jays team that has shown resilience and clutch performance throughout the postseason. The pressure is squarely on Los Angeles to stave off defeat and force a decisive Game 7, with key players like Betts and Ohtani needing to break out of their slumps to keep their championship hopes alive.
As the series shifts to Toronto, the baseball world anticipates a thrilling conclusion. Whether the Blue Jays can close it out at home or the Dodgers mount a historic comeback, Game 6 promises high stakes and unforgettable drama, capping a postseason filled with unexpected heroes and memorable moments. The stage is set for a potential coronation or a fight for survival, with Yesavage’s Game 5 masterpiece already etched into World Series history as a defining moment of this year’s fall classic.