The Toronto Blue Jays moved within one victory of their first World Series championship in more than three decades after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–1 in Game 5 on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. Entering the matchup, sportsbooks listed Los Angeles as modest home favorites at around -140, with Toronto positioned near +120. Those odds reflected the expected advantage of a deeper Dodgers roster and a two-time Cy Young winner on the mound, but rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage reshaped the game and the series with one of the most dominant performances by a newcomer in Fall Classic history.
Yesavage, who began the season pitching in front of crowds in the low minors, took the mound at Dodger Stadium barely six weeks after making his major league debut. The twenty-two-year-old delivered a performance that surpassed all expectations, striking out twelve batters without issuing a walk. His total set a World Series rookie record, breaking the previous mark of eleven held by Don Newcombe since 1949. Using a combination of a sinking splitter, sharp slider, and high-velocity fastball, Yesavage neutralized a lineup that had led the National League in scoring during the regular season but had struggled throughout this series.
Los Angeles managed only three hits off Yesavage, whose efficiency and poise impressed teammates and opponents. His ability to induce twenty-three swings and misses was the highest in any World Series game since tracking data became available in 2008. He left after seven innings, having allowed just one run, improving his overall postseason record to 3–1.
Toronto provided early support with an explosive opening frame. Davis Schneider, batting leadoff only because regular starter George Springer remained sidelined, homered on the first pitch he saw from Dodgers starter Blake Snell. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed two pitches later by driving another fastball into the bullpen, giving Toronto back-to-back home runs to begin a World Series game for the first time in history. Guerrero’s eighth home run of the postseason continued his strong October, during which he has been one of baseball’s most productive hitters.
Snell finished the night with five runs allowed on six hits and four walks in six and two-thirds innings, falling to 0–2 in the series. He acknowledged afterward that the Blue Jays were aggressive early and adjusted quickly to his approach. The Dodgers, meanwhile, attempted to spark their offense by rearranging the lineup, dropping Mookie Betts to the middle of the order and inserting Alex Call in place of Andy Pages. The adjustments did little to revive a struggling offense that has scored only four runs across its last twenty-nine innings.
Los Angeles briefly narrowed the margin in the third when Kiké Hernández connected for a solo home run, trimming the deficit to 2–1. However, Toronto responded with steady run production. Ernie Clement added a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and Bo Bichette drove in a run in the seventh. Isiah Kiner-Falefa contributed another run-scoring single in the eighth. The Dodgers also hindered themselves by throwing four wild pitches over a two-inning stretch, allowing additional scoring opportunities for the Blue Jays.
Toronto’s bullpen continued its strong series as Seranthony Domínguez and Jeff Hoffman combined for two scoreless innings to close out the win. Los Angeles struggled to generate momentum, with Tommy Edman even choosing to switch from his preferred left-handed stance to bat right-handed against Yesavage. This adjustment still resulted in a strikeout, a pop-up, and a double-play grounder.
The victory gave the Blue Jays a 3–2 lead in the best-of-seven series as it shifts back to Toronto. The franchise last won the championship in 1993 and now stands one game away from ending the longest active World Series drought in the American League. The Dodgers, who entered the postseason seeking to become the first back-to-back champions since the New York Yankees’ late-1990s dynasty, face elimination and must find offensive solutions quickly.
Game 6 will feature a rematch of the pitching duel from Game 2, with Los Angeles sending Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound against Toronto’s Kevin Gausman. Yamamoto delivered a complete game in their previous meeting, the first in the World Series since 2015. Gausman allowed three runs over six and two-thirds innings in that matchup. With both teams fully aware of what is at stake, Toronto will look to clinch the title at home while Los Angeles attempts to force the series to its ultimate conclusion.