It all comes down to this. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays open the 2025 World Series tonight at Rogers Centre in Toronto. It marks a meeting between the reigning champions and a club returning to the Fall Classic for the first time in 32 years.
Los Angeles enters the series as the betting favorite. Those who bet on sports at Bovada see the Dodgers listed at -150 to repeat as champions, while the Blue Jays are +130 underdogs. After finishing with a better regular-season record, Toronto has home-field advantage, 94–68 to the Dodgers’ 93–69. The Dodgers have played two of the last three series as the road team and have dropped only a single game in the playoffs.
Dodgers Cruise Through the National League
The Dodgers battled through the National League bracket with pitching excellence carrying the load. They opened the postseason by sweeping the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Series, advancing in two games led by dominant starting efforts and timely defense. The offense did just enough, but the arms established the blueprint for how this team would survive October.
Los Angeles met the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series and took the series in five games. Each win came behind steady starts from Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow. Shohei Ohtani, the favorite to win the National League MVP for the second season in a row, picked up a win on the mound in Game 2, striking out nine across six innings. Though he delivered occasional power flashes at the plate, his postseason at-bats have otherwise been inconsistent.
That set up a National League Championship Series showdown with the Milwaukee Brewers, who held baseball’s best regular-season record. Los Angeles swept the Brewers in three games, punctuated by one of modern history’s most remarkable single-game postseason performances. In the clincher, Ohtani hit three home runs while pitching six innings of shutout baseball, striking out 10 batters in a 5–1 win. The outing has already been dubbed by many as the greatest individual playoff performance ever.
Ohtani’s brilliance stood apart, but the Dodgers’ rotation as a whole secured their place in the Fall Classic. Yamamoto’s command, Glasnow’s power pitching, and Snell’s veteran experience have offset the team’s lack of explosive offense. Since July, the bullpen has been uneven, but the starters have consistently logged deep outings, minimizing relief exposure.
Manager Dave Roberts emphasized that formula after the sweep. “We’re here because our starters have set the tone every series,” Roberts said. “They’ve put us in position to win every night, and that’s what October baseball demands.”
The Dodgers have not been the powerhouse lineup of years past, but they have been efficient. Both former MVPs, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, have delivered key hits in tight games, while Teoscar Hernández has supplied the occasional jolt of power. Still, dominant starting pitching—anchored by four aces and finished by Roki Sasaki in the ninth—has pushed this team back to another World Series.
Blue Jays End the Drought
The Blue Jays’ postseason push began with confidence and ended with chaos—and victory. Toronto swept the Minnesota Twins in the Wild Card round and eliminated the Houston Astros in four games during the Division Series. In the ALCS, they outlasted the New York Yankees in six, surviving early deficits and the loss of shortstop Bo Bichette to injury.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been their offensive centerpiece. He’s hitting .367 with six home runs and 14 RBIs this postseason. George Springer’s energy and clutch performance have matched his production—his three-run homer in Game 6 against New York sealed the pennant. Kevin Gausman and José Berríos have led a steady rotation, combining for a 2.41 ERA in October. Closer Jordan Romano has gone a perfect 6-for-6 in save situations, providing the late-inning backbone Toronto lacked in prior postseason runs.
“Every time we’ve been counted out, someone has stepped up,” manager John Schneider said. “This team just doesn’t quit.” Bovada lists Guerrero Jr. (+700) and Springer (+800) as leading Blue Jays MVP candidates.
Strength vs. Momentum
The World Series offers two teams that are built differently but arrive with confidence. The Dodgers rely on rotation superiority—Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Glasnow, and Ohtani form an elite quartet. Each is capable of working deep into games, reducing bullpen exposure. Sasaki’s rise as a closer has added late-game stability.
Toronto thrives on its explosive offense. Even without Bichette, the lineup remains dangerous, led by Guerrero, Springer, and Daulton Varsho. Patience has been key; the Blue Jays have seen more pitches per plate appearance than any American League playoff team this postseason.
Game 1 will feature Tyler Glasnow against Kevin Gausman. Game 2 is expected to pit Yamamoto versus José Berríos, with Ohtani likely starting Game 3 when the series shifts to Dodger Stadium.
Bovada’s series projections lean toward Los Angeles in six games, though many expect a tight, hard-fought matchup. Ohtani (+250) tops the MVP odds board, followed by Freeman (+600), Guerrero Jr. (+700), and Springer (+800).
Stage Set for October History
The 2025 World Series begins tonight at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on Fox and Fox Deportes. Games 1 and 2 will occur at Rogers Centre in Toronto before the series moves to Dodger Stadium for Games 3 and 4 next week.
The Dodgers are seeking the franchise’s ninth championship and first back-to-back titles in over three decades. The Blue Jays, celebrating their first World Series appearance since 1993, are chasing the end of a long drought. One team carries dynasty ambitions; the other brings destiny-driven belief. First pitch arrives tonight, and the chase for baseball’s ultimate prize begins.
