2025 World Series: Game 3 Preview
The World Series is all knotted up, and if you thought this was going to be a cakewalk for the Dodgers, think again. The Toronto Blue Jays came to play, and after splitting the first two games up north, the whole circus is packing up and heading to the sunny hills of Los Angeles for a pivotal Game 3.
After two games, we’ve seen both teams throw their best punches. The Blue Jays’ bats came alive in Game 1, wearing down the Dodgers’ pitching and feasting on their bullpen like it was an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Then, in Game 2, Yoshinobu Yamamoto reminded everyone why he’s a global sensation, putting on a pitching clinic that completely shut down Toronto. Now, with three games in three days at Dodger Stadium, things are about to get real. This is where seasons are made or broken. Who will win Game 3 of the World Series>
Can Mad Max Find His Old Magic?
All eyes are on the mound Monday night, and specifically on one man: Max Scherzer. At 41 years old, “Mad Max” is practically a baseball fossil, but as we saw in the ALCS, he’s still got some fire left in that ancient arm. He stared down his own manager and basically refused to be pulled, a moment that had baseball purists everywhere weeping with joy. It was pure, unadulterated Scherzer.
But let’s be real—that gutsy performance against the Mariners wasn’t exactly vintage, dominant Max. He danced out of trouble more than he overpowered anyone. Now, he’s facing the Dodgers’ lineup of superstars.
Can he really pull another rabbit out of his hat against this juggernaut? To make things spicier, Dodgers fans haven’t forgotten that Scherzer couldn’t pitch in a crucial elimination game for them back in 2021. You can bet the fine folks at Chavez Ravine will be ready to give him a warm, “friendly” welcome.
Will the Dodgers’ Big Guns Finally Wake Up In the World Series?
Sure, the Dodgers’ starting pitching has been lights-out this postseason, but where are the MVPs? Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman—a trio that should be giving opposing pitchers nightmares—have been surprisingly quiet. Combined, they’re hitting a less-than-stellar .239 this postseason. That’s not exactly the Murderers’ Row we were promised.
The Dodgers can’t just rely on their starters to carry them through the entire World Series. At some point, the big bats need to show up and do what they do best: mash baseballs. The Blue Jays seem to have a plan for Ohtani, and if the Dodgers’ top three can’t get going, the pressure will mount. This team was built to bludgeon opponents into submission, not just win with pitching finesse.
Can the Blue Jays Expose the Dodgers’ Bullpen?
The Blue Jays’ game plan is simple, almost beautifully so: get to the Dodgers’ bullpen. Fast. Los Angeles’ starting rotation is elite, but their relief pitching is, shall we say, a bit shaky. It’s the team’s one glaring weakness, and Toronto knows it.
In Game 1, they executed this strategy to perfection, wearing down Blake Snell and then erupting against the relievers. In Game 2, Yamamoto didn’t even let them get a sniff. The key for the Blue Jays in Game 3 is to work counts against Tyler Glasnow, drive up his pitch count, and force an early exit.
If they can get into that mushy middle of the Dodgers’ bullpen, they have a real shot at taking control of this World Series. With three straight games in L.A., that bullpen is going to be tested. The Jays need to start applying the pressure now.
