oronto is set to see its home team in the Finals for the first time since 1993, while the defending champion Dodgers arrive hungry to make history as baseball’s first repeat winners in 25 years. Beyond the stats, both fanbases share a common thread—the Shohei Ohtani free agency saga of 2023. MLB analyst Greg Amsinger once gave Toronto a 60% chance of signing him, but LA, sitting at just 30%, pulled off the shocker. Now, with both clubs meeting on the sport’s biggest stage, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ recent comments might hit a little too close to home for Blue Jays fans.

Interestingly, this isn’t just limited to the two-way star; there was another Japanese phenomenon, Roki Sasaki, who also slipped away from the Jays’ fingers.

Yet again, it was the Dodgers who locked the deal, and Sasaki also announced, like Ohtani did on his Instagram, about the contract. Now both Japanese stars will step onto the Rogers Center field on Friday night, wearing Dodger blue, not in the uniforms Toronto fans hoped for. And Roberts is just glad!

Against that backdrop, when asked about the signings, Roberts didn’t mince words. He gave a pointed reply, “I’m happy we won out and they chose us.” The Blue Jays have been ahead in discussions before and were a finalist for both Shohei Ohtani and Sasaki. Roberts, who is known for being cool, made this strike seem planned.

Both of them have been the cornerstone of the clubhouse. Ohtani had a great season with the Dodgers in 2025, hitting .282 with 55 home runs and 102 RBIs with a 1.014 OPS. And against the Blue Jays? He has a career batting average of about .287 with 9 home runs and 25 RBIs in 30 games.

Meanwhile, Sasaki’s addition to the bullpen has changed the story for the Boys in Blue. His presence gives L.A.’s pitching arm more depth and makes the competition even more uneven. In the postseason across about 7 innings, he posted an ERA of around 1.13, struck out 6, and issued only 2 walks, while recording 3 saves for the team.

The stakes are high as both teams have dominated throughout the season. Amid all this, Roberts is trying to downplay it. When asked if pursuing a dynasty motivates the Dodgers, Roberts pushed back. “I can honestly say that’s not the case, which doesn’t sound like it makes sense,” he said. “I want to win this one in 2025 as much as I want to win any one. I feel the players feel the same way.”

In between all the back and forth, he made the status clear on Shohei Ohtani pitching against the Blue Jays, along with who will start Game 1.

Crafting Shohei Ohtani’s role on the mound against the Blue Jays

While much attention focuses on Shohei Ohtani’s historic bat, his pitching arm might be the Dodgers’ most dangerous weapon this October.

Ohtani has been electric on the mound throughout the playoffs, posting a 2.25 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 12 innings. His arsenal has evolved dramatically, bringing back his devastating splitter while perfecting a curveball he didn’t even throw until August.

The two-way star has made himself available for any role the Dodgers need. When asked about Shohei Ohtani’s pitching plans against the Blue Jays, Roberts kept his options open. “We haven’t decided,” he said. “As far as relief, we have to see how the series plays out.” That flexibility could be crucial, giving Los Angeles another ace-level arm to deploy in high-leverage situations.

Blake Snell will pitch Game 1, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto getting Game 2, but knowing Ohtani can step in at any moment adds another layer to the Dodgers’ pitching depth.

The timing of his pitching return couldn’t be better for the Boys in Blue. After gradually building up innings throughout the season, Shohei Ohtani now throws up to six innings per start with multiple days of rest between appearances. His postseason performances have shown he’s getting stronger as the games get bigger, exactly what the Dodgers hoped for when they carefully managed his workload all year.