When cameras panned across the crowd during Game 2 of the World Series between the Blue Jays and the Dodgers, something peculiar caught viewers’ attention. One person stood out in a crowd of jerseys and caps in the most unique way. This mysterious person was wearing a white suit with a black bow tie and had a distinguishing beard. He wasn’t simply supporting the local team; he might have been channelling a Japanese baseball icon from decades ago that had nothing to do with Canada or America.

The anonymous fan, who sat right behind home plate, looked a lot like the man who started Kentucky Fried Chicken. His theatrical look set off a flurry of speculation on social media, with baseball fans making connections across the Pacific Ocean. It felt like the timing was planned, especially because the Dodgers had three Japanese players on their roster: Game 2 starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, superstar Shohei Ohtani, and closer Roki Sasaki.

According to the newspaper Toronto Star, “Fans are speculating that the Colonel’s appearance is in reference to the ‘Curse of the Colonel,’ a Japanese legend that the ghost of Colonel Sanders cursed the Hanshin Tigers, a team in Japan’s Nippon Baseball League, for throwing his statue in a canal.”

The curse started in 1985 when the Hanshin Tigers startled Japan by making it to their first Japan Series. Fans who were overjoyed crowded the streets of Osaka and made their way to the Dotombori Canal, which was then a dirty canal but is now a tourist attraction. The mob was so crazy that they took a Colonel Sanders statue from a local KFC and threw it into the dirty water. The Tigers won the championship, but it cost them something.

What happened next seemed like revenge from the beyond. The squad had a hard time for years, and people blamed the curse for their Japan Series losses in 2003 and 2005. In 2009, workmen found the statue while cleaning up. It was dusty, lacking hands and glasses, but it was still smiling. The Colonel’s creepy grin made it seem as if he knew something no one else did. In 2023, Hanshin won its first title in 38 years, which broke the curse.

So, it drew the same attention to Toronto when that lookalike guy showed up in the stands!

If the fan aimed to transfer the curse to the Dodgers, Game 2 proved otherwise. Yamamoto pitched a strong complete game, and the Dodgers won. With the curse ineffective, focus shifted to maintaining momentum for Game 3. And Roberts’ planbook appears to cover all the key points.

Lineup decisions and statistical odds: Roberts’ next move

The Dodgers know that momentum is a fickle thing in October baseball. After tying the World Series, manager Dave Roberts is now focused on keeping that lead as the series moves to Toronto for Game 3, which is a very important swing game that could set the course for the rest of the series.

As per MLB reports, Tyler Glasnow will start for the Dodgers in Game 3. Glasnow was great in his last postseason start, Game 3 of the NLCS. He pitched six scoreless innings, struck out nine batters, and walked only one. His crisp command and ability to blend speeds kept batters off balance, which is why Roberts still trusts him in important situations. Glasnow’s calm demeanor and experience could be just what Los Angeles needs against the Birds of the North.

The Dodgers don’t seem to be making big adjustments to their lineup. Roberts will probably go with the same lineup as the first two games, with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman at the top. This is because Max Scherzer is also a right-hander. But they’re thinking about making a change at the bottom since youngster Andy Pages is having trouble at the plate. Alex Call may receive the start if Roberts decides to sit him. This will give the team a boost and keep the defense stable.

History makes the stakes in Game 3 higher. About 60% of the time, teams that win the series after going up 2-1 at home do so. When they do it on the road, that number goes up to over 76%. If the Dodgers win this one, their chances of winning the 2025 Fall Classic will be substantially better. Dave Roberts knows that this is an edge that no club can afford to waste.