Game 2 of the 2025 World Series just flipped the script, and things got crispy. Notably, after dropping Game 1, the Dodgers came roaring back, thanks to a masterclass from Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Japanese ace was lights-out, tossing a complete game four-hitter, fanning eight, and retiring the last 20 batters he faced! And guess what, that’s no small feat considering the Blue Jays have been an offensive juggernaut this postseason.

The Jays scored 34 runs in the ALDS and 33 runs in the ALCS, rolling into the World Series averaging nearly seven runs per game and hitting over .300 as a team. But all that firepower fizzled when they ran into Yamamoto’s six-pitch mix. Now, as the Series shifts to Dodger Stadium, the Jays are still seen as favorites to take the title.

However, with the way Yamamoto and the Dodgers just responded, those odds might come with a few asterisks!!!

“He’s just such an incredible athlete out there. He just looked incredible against the Blue Jays… But the Blue Jays are still in a good place to be 1-1 heading to Los Angeles…. Because we saw the old WHIFF rate tonight. A lot of that has to do with Yamamoto, but it was a rarity… But Yamamoto’s a unique guy. We had a 41-year-old starting in game 3. If he is anywhere close to how good he was against the Mariners, the Blue Jays are in a great spot.” Jays insider Ben Nicholson-Smith shared his thoughts via Sportsnet.

Well, in Game 3, the Dodgers are handing the ball to Tyler Glasnow, and honestly, he might just pull off another Yamamoto-type performance. Notably, he’s sporting a ridiculous 0.68 ERA over 13.1 innings in three outings this playoffs. He’s racked up 18 SOs and given up just one run. His most recent start came in Game 3 of the NLCS against the Brewers, where he went 5.2 innings, striking out 8, walking 3, and allowing 3 hits!!!

On the flip side, the Blue Jays’ fate in Game 3 will hinge on Max Scherzer. The 41-year-old had a rocky finish to the regular season but found his rhythm again in his lone postseason start. In a strong outing in the ALCS, he gave up just two runs on three hits over 5.2 innings in Toronto’s 8–2 win over Seattle. And if that version of Scherzer shows up again, the Jays will be right in it.

The Blue Jays’ offense needs to take the lead

Jays Nation could expect a turnaround in Game 3 with Scherzer at the mound. But their offense? They also need to take the lead to win.

The Blue Jays’ bats were absolutely at their best against the Dodgers in Game 1, lighting up L.A.’s pitching staff with a nine-run sixth inning — the third-biggest inning in World Series history. But Game 2 was a completely different story. Things got off to a rough start when George Springer was hit by a pitch from Yamamoto in the third inning. He eventually came around to score Toronto’s lone run, thanks to a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. single that moved him to third and an Alejandro Kirk sacrifice fly that brought him home.

Heading into a pivotal Game 3, the Jays will need Springer and Guerrero to set the tone early if they want to bounce back. Still, even after a quiet night at the plate, there’s good reason to believe this offense isn’t done yet. How? Remember the ALCS, when Toronto stormed back from a 2–0 hole against Seattle and outscored them 33–17 over the next five games. Hence, betting against these bats might not be the smartest move.

Well, yes, it didn’t click in Game 2, but this lineup can explode at any moment. Remember, they clawed back from a 2–0 deficit against the Mariners by outscoring them 33–17 over the next five games in the ALCS. So, counting them out now would be a mistake.