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From the losing manager in Game 6:
#BlueJays manager John Schneider: “It’s Game 7 of the World Series at your home stadium. What the hell else could you want?”
— Keegan Matheson (@keeganmatheson.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T03:27:00.058Z
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World Series Wrapup
WHY NOT? BRING ON GAME 7
Dodgers Win With Wild Ending After Yamamoto Deals
A fairly epic postseason has resulted in a very epic World Series. And now, we have a Game 7. One game to decide whether the Los Angeles Dodgers win back-to-back championships or the Toronto Blue Jays capture their first in 32 years. But it wouldn’t have come to fruition had it not been for a tremendous defensive play to end Game 6.
Right-handed starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched six standout innings, but it took a unique double play to snuff out a ninth-inning comeback as the Dodgers held on for a 3-1 victory over the Blue Jays in Game 6 of the World Series at the Rogers Centre. Following a marathon six-month regular season and a sprint-to-the-finish postseason through October that ends on the first day of November, the MLB schedule has but one game remaining: World Series Game 7, today, 8 p.m. ET. To make it even juicier, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will start for the Dodgers on short rest after pitching Game 4, while the Jays are going with 41-year-old Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner looking to add a third World Series title to his portfolio.
The Dodgers and their MLB-record payroll have a shot at becoming the first team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees‘ three-peat to capture two straight titles only because of a heads-up defensive play and tremendous scoop. With one out in the bottom of the ninth and runners on second and third, Andrés Giménez hit a line drive to shallow left field that was snared on the run by Enrique Hernández, who was playing in further than he typically would. Hernandez then threw to second base, with second baseman Miguel Rojas — who got the start on a hunch by manager Dave Roberts — deftly handling a tricky short hop to double Addison Barger off at second base the Barger came barreling back to the bag, knocking Rojas backwards as he celebrated with a fist pump. The play transpired with Tyler Glasnow, who was in line to potentially start Game 7, having come on in relief and needing just three pitches to get the save.
The crazy finish came after a tense battle that opened with both pitchers taking charge.
Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman used his split-finger fastball to strike out five while setting down the first seven batters of the game. But just when it looked like Gausman was about to author a classic postseason pitching performance, the struggling Dodgers offense went to work. With one out in the third, Tommy Edman doubled to right for the Dodgers’ first hit of the game. After a sixth Gausman strikeout, Ohtani was intentionally walked for the ninth time this postseason. Will Smith then lined a two-out double down the left-field line to score Edman and move Ohtani to third. Freddie Freeman drew a walk to load the bases for Mookie Betts, who was moved down to the cleanup spot as the Dodgers looked to create more offense. Betts, hitting just 3-for-24 (.125) in the World Series, then hit a 1-2 four-seamer between short and third and into left for a two-run single and a 3-0 Dodgers lead. It was the first inning since the fifth of the 18-inning Game 3 that the Dodgers put up a crooked number.
Yamamoto was coming off back-to-back complete games, the first time that had been done in the postseason since 2001. Like Gausman, Yamamoto faced the minimum over the first two innings (with an error erased by a double play). Barger got the Jays’ first hit when he had a leadoff double in the third inning, but Yamamoto retired the next two, with Barger moving over to third on a groundout. George Springer, making a return to the Jays’ lineup after an oblique injury kept him out of the previous two games, then brought the crowd to its feet when he lined a 3-0 cutter into right-center to easily score Barger to make it 3-1.
Gausman and Yamamoto exited after six innings. Gausman gave up three runs on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts, while Yamamoto allowed one run on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Both teams put up threats in the eighth inning, but were unable to cash in. After Chris Bassitt pitched a perfect top of the ninth, Roki Sasaki continued to try and pick up a six-out save. Sasaki hit Alejandro Kirk to lead off the bottom of the ninth and was replaced by pinch-runner Myles Straw. Barger followed by hammering a 98.9 mph four-seamer into the left-center gap that ended up getting wedged at the base of the wall on the fly for a ground-rule double.
That was all for Sasaki, who threw 33 pitches, as manager Dave Roberts opted to bring in Glasnow, the Game 3 starter whose only relief appearance since 2018 with the Pittsburgh Pirates was a 1⅔-inning stint in Game 1 of the NL Division Series vs. the Philadelphia Phillies. Ernie Clement popped out to first base on Glasnow’s first pitch, before Gimenez hit a 1-0 pitch to Hernandez in left for the game-ending double play.
Game 7 now awaits, with each franchise have a piece of history at stake. The bullpens will be full of starters ready to come on in relief and players on both sides set to add to their legacies. One more game.
Will starts the scoring! #WorldSeries
— Los Angeles Dodgers (bot) (@dodgersbot.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T00:52:53.000Z
Mookie clutch! #WorldSeries
— Los Angeles Dodgers (bot) (@dodgersbot.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T00:56:42.000Z
Seranthony Domínguez escapes the jam! #WorldSeries
Roki Sasaki puts the @Dodgers three outs away from forcing Game 7! #WorldSeries
FULL BOTTOM OF THE 9TH: The @Dodgers sent us to Game 7 with an unforgettable #WorldSeries moment 😤
By The Numbers
⚾ Teams winning Game 6 on the road to force a Game 7 (in the 2-3-2 format) have won the series 14 of 22 times (63.6%). Overall, teams that won Game 6 to force Game 7 have won 35 of 56 series (62.5%).
in all of postseason history, teams playing any winner-take-all game in their home park are 69-67, including 31-29 in best-of-7 series
— Sarah Langs (@slangsonsports.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T03:48:28.200Z
⚾ At a minimum, this will be tied for the third-most innings in a World Series and the longest with a seven-game format. The current top four World Series in terms of innings were all eight-gamers.
⚾ Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman became the 12th pitcher in World Series history to strike out the side in the first inning. He did it by getting seven swings and misses on his splitter.
Kevin Gausman’s splitter is looking frightening early on 😱
⚾ Max Scherzer, set to start Game 7 for the Jays, will be pitching in his ninth winner-take-all game in the postseason, breaking a tie with reliever Aroldis Chapman for most in MLB history. Scherzer (41 years, 97 days) will be the third-oldest player to participate in a Game 7 and the oldest starting pitch. Scherzer also started the last World Series Game 7 in 2019 for the Washington Nationals.
⚾ With his fifth-inning single, Ernie Clement tied the Jays’ postseason record by hitting in his 12th consecutive game. Catcher Pat Borders hit in 12 straight en route to being named the 1992 World Series MVP.
⚾ Jays reliever Louis Varland pitched the seventh inning for his 14th appearance this postseason, tying the MLB record. The record was set by Cleveland’s Paul Assenmacher in 1998 and tied by the Dodgers’ Brandon Morrow in 2018.
Louis Varland is making his 14th pitching appearance of this postseason, which ties an MLB recordBrandon Morrow – 2017 DodgersPaul Assenmacher – 1997 Indians
— Talkin’ Baseball (Bot) (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T02:06:38.000Z
⚾ And in case you were wondering, eight teams have done what the Dodgers are trying to do.
The @Dodgers can join this list of #WorldSeries road warriors with a win in Game 7 👀
Around The World Series
Springer Returns
After missing the previous two games with an oblique injury, designated hitter George Springer was back in the Blue Jays’ lineup batting in his customary leadoff spot. Springer, the 2017 World Series MVP with the Houston Astros, responded by going 2-for-4, both singles, and drove in the Jays’ lone run.
“He’s ready to go,” Jays manager John Schneider said pregame. “He may look uncomfortable on a couple (swings), but I think we all have reassurance from all of the testing that he’ll be able to tolerate it.”
George Springer chops a ball down the line for a leadoff single
— Talkin’ Baseball (Bot) (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T02:41:50.000Z
Extra Bases
⚾ Bo Bichette, who has had to play second base and DH due to a sprained PCL in his left knee sustained in early September, said he does not expect to have surgery this offseason to repair the injury. Bichette, a shortstop, is scheduled to be a free agent after the season.
Best Moments From Yesterday
That’s Sassy, Bassy
Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt took to the Halloween spirit as he arrived for Game 6.
Fans Also In The Spirit
Baseball fans don’t need a reason for costumes, but Halloween gives them an excuse.
Halloween night at the ballpark
Just Having Fun
Shohei Ohtani chats up Vladimir Guerrero Jr. about his hops and near-miss.
Block Or Charge?
Kevin Gausman got tangled up with Ohtani was backing up the play at the plate.
That’s clearly pass interference on Gausman
Showing His Skills
Before Game 6, second baseman Miguel Rojas had only played five innings of defense in the World Series and had played in just five postseason games. He turned in a handful of defensive gems, including the game-ender.
More Than A Game
After the Dodgers added a 51 on their hats by the World Series logo, a few Blue Jays, including Seranthony Domínguez, added it to show their support for Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia and his wife. The Vesias are dealing with a personal matter, which led to the left-hander being left off the World Series roster.
Blue Jays full of great dudes, apparently. Can’t wait to hear who rallied their relievers to do this in support of Alex Vesia and family.
— Molly Knight (@mollyknight.bsky.social) 2025-11-01T03:37:49.073Z
Waiting All Day
The feeling when you have to wait for Game 7.
*breathe in, breathe out*
Noteworthy News
Maddux Jumps To Angels
Esteemed pitching coach Mike Maddux has left the Texas Rangers to join another team in the AL West, the Los Angeles Angels. Maddux had been the Rangers’ pitching coach under manager Bruce Bochy, who left Texas after the season in a mutual decision, for the past three years, including winning the World Series in 2023. The Rangers have since hired Skip Schumaker, who was in the front office the past year as a special assistant, to replace Bochy. Now, Maddux joins another team with a new manager in the Angels and Kurt Suzuki, who has no managing experience. Similar to Schumaker, Suzuki had been a special assistant to the general manager. Maddux replaces Barry Enright, who was on Ron Washington’s staff before he wasn’t brought back after this season.
Extra Bases
⚾ The Washington Nationals officially announced Blake Butera as their new manager.
⚾ As expected, Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres had surgery to fix a sports hernia. Torres said after the Tigers were eliminated from the postseason that he had been dealing with the injury. Torres is heading to free agency for the second consecutive offseason after signing a one-year, $15 million contract with the Tigers.
⚾ Yoervis Medina, a right-handed reliever who pitched in 146 MLB games across three seasons, died Thursday. Medina apparently suffered a heart attack that led to a fatal car crash in Naguanagua, Venezuela. He was 37. Medina pitched all of 2013 and 2014 with the Seattle Mariners and part of 2015 as well before being traded to the Chicago Cubs for catcher Wellington Castillo.
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