Dodgers Force Game 7 Against Blue Jays as Ohtani Faces Scherzer in World Series Decider

The Los Angeles Dodgers staved off elimination with a gritty 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, October 30, 2025, at Rogers Centre in Toronto — setting up a Game 7 showdown between two future Hall of Famers that feels like baseball destiny. The victory, sealed by a three-pitch, three-out masterpiece from closer Tyler Glasnow, erased a 3-2 series deficit and sent the World Series to its first decisive game since 2019. With the score tied 1-1 in the ninth, the Blue Jays had runners on second and third with no outs. Glasnow didn’t flinch. He got Ernie Clement to pop up on one pitch. Then, on his third offering, Andrés Giménez lined into a game-ending double play — a sequence so sudden, fans in the stands still hadn’t stopped screaming when the final out was recorded.

Game 6: A Masterclass in Pressure

The Dodgers didn’t win Game 6 with power. They won it with poise. Starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered another gem, matching his Game 2 performance by limiting Toronto’s lineup to one run over six innings. Meanwhile, Kevin Gausman, Toronto’s ace, was electric early — striking out five of his first six batters, throwing 11 whiffs in his first 20 pitches. But the Dodgers adjusted. They worked counts. They forced Gausman into high-pitch counts. By the fifth inning, he was spent.

It was Mookie Betts who finally broke the ice. Moved to cleanup by manager Dave Roberts after a 1-for-18 slump through Games 1–5, Betts doubled in the fourth to drive in the go-ahead run. It was his first extra-base hit of the series. "He’s been carrying us with his defense," Roberts said afterward. "Tonight, he carried us with his bat."

George Springer’s Heroic Return

On the other side, the Blue Jays’ story was one of grit. George Springer, 36, returned to the lineup after missing two games with a strained right side — an injury suffered on the first swing of Game 3. "Once you get confirmation there’s nothing terribly wrong, it’s just, ‘What can you tolerate?’" said manager John Schneider. "He’s somehow made significant progress in 48 hours. We don’t believe he’ll worsen it by playing."

Springer didn’t homer. He didn’t even get a hit. But his presence changed everything. His leadership steadied a lineup that had looked rattled after Game 5’s collapse. And with Bo Bichette still limping through his recovery from a seven-week knee sprain, Springer’s return gave Toronto’s offense a heartbeat.

Game 7: Ohtani vs. Scherzer — Baseball’s Dream Matchup

Game 7, scheduled for Saturday, October 31, 2025, at 8:00 PM Eastern Time at Rogers Centre, will pit two of the game’s greatest pitchers against each other on short rest. Shohei Ohtani, who threw 108 pitches in Game 2 and hasn’t pitched since Tuesday, will start for the Dodgers. He’s 1-0 in the series with a 1.80 ERA. Max Scherzer, the 39-year-old veteran who won Game 7 for the Nationals in 2019, will take the mound for Toronto. He’s allowed just two runs in 12 innings this series.

This isn’t just a pitcher’s duel. It’s a generational clash. Ohtani, the two-way phenom who’s redefined the sport. Scherzer, the relentless competitor who’s battled through injuries, trades, and a 2023 trade to Toronto that shocked the baseball world. Both are locks for the Hall of Fame. Neither has won a title since 2019. And now, one of them will get it — on the road, in a building that hasn’t hosted a champion since 1993.

Why This Matters: Repeat Champions or Long-Awaited Glory?

The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t won back-to-back titles since 1988–1989. The last team to do it? The 1998–2000 New York Yankees. That’s 25 years. The Dodgers, with seven titles total, are the most successful franchise since 2020. But they’ve never repeated. Not once.

For the Blue Jays? It’s been 32 years since Joe Carter’s walk-off homer in 1993. The franchise has flirted with contention since — but never this close. They finished last in 2024. Now? They’re one win away from the franchise’s third title. No team in MLB history has gone from last place to World Series champions in a single season. The Blue Jays are trying to rewrite the rulebook.

What’s Next: The Final Pitch

The expected lineups are set. For the Dodgers: Ohtani as DH, Betts at shortstop, Freeman at first. For the Blue Jays: Springer at DH, Guerrero Jr. at first, Bichette at second. The weather in Toronto is expected to be clear, 48°F, with a light breeze — perfect for pitching.

One thing’s certain: this won’t be decided by home runs. It’ll be decided by execution. A well-placed fastball. A slider that bites just enough. A double play turned at the perfect moment. The kind of baseball that makes you forget to breathe.