Blue Jays Lead World Series After Yesavage’s Record Night

LOS ANGELES — The record books now include Trey Yesavage’s name. The Toronto Blue Jays are ahead in the World Series, holding a 3-2 advantage. The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing a period of critical self-assessment.

Fueled by an unprecedented 12 strikeouts from Yesavage, the 22-year-old rookie, the Blue Jays secured a decisive 6-1 victory against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series. The team is heading back to Rogers Centre with the opportunity to clinch their first championship since 1993 within the next two games.

Game 6 is set for Friday at 8 p.m. ET in Toronto.

The spotlight was firmly on Yesavage, who was drafted last year, started 2025 in Low-A Dunedin, and only entered the MLB scene in mid-September. While the Dodgers’ offense had been faltering, Yesavage delivered a commanding performance against L.A. in Game 5.

His Game 1 struggles were largely attributed to difficulty controlling his trademark splitter, relying more on a slider that had inconsistent results. Both pitches were incredibly effective in Game 5, with Dodgers batters missing 14 times out of 29 swings against the slider and seven times out of 10 against the splitter. Overall, Yesavage achieved an impressive 44% whiff rate.

“An unforgettable showing,” commented Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “Being in the zone is one thing, but being in the zone and generating swing-and-miss is another. His slider and split were outstanding. I mentioned before the game that he becomes a different pitcher when he has command of his repertoire. He couldn’t locate his split in Game 1, which makes what he accomplished tonight even more remarkable.”

Yesavage managed to strike out every player in the Dodgers’ revised starting lineup at least once, with their 2-3-4 hitters each striking out twice.

“It’s a surreal experience,” Yesavage reflected post-game. “This scenario couldn’t have been scripted any better. I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this.”

His only misstep was an inside fastball that Kiké Hernandez capitalized on for the Dodgers’ sole run.

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Early Offense from Blue Jays Against Blake Snell, Followed by Dodgers’ Missteps

The Blue Jays already had the necessary runs by the time Yesavage took the mound in the first inning. Both Yesavage and Blake Snell were seeking redemption after difficult Game 1 starts, but Snell’s efforts took a turn for the worse from the very beginning.

Davis Schneider, the Blue Jays’ leadoff hitter, attacked a fastball on Snell’s initial pitch, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed by hitting an inside mistake, putting Toronto ahead 2-0 before the first out. This made the Jays the first team in World Series history to start a game with consecutive home runs.

Schneider credited George Springer, who remains sidelined due to a side injury sustained in Game 3, for advising him to anticipate a fastball.

“Snell is an exceptional pitcher. In our previous encounter, I didn’t see many fastballs, so I was anticipating one,” Schneider explained. “George always emphasizes being ready for a fastball as the leadoff hitter, and he has done so successfully for years. I’m always ready to listen to his advice.”

Snell regained some composure after the first inning, largely avoiding his fastball against a lineup that has been effectively hitting them throughout the postseason. However, he struggled again in the seventh inning, allowing two more runners to reach base and exiting the game with 116 pitches.

Both runners eventually scored, with the first run symbolizing the Dodgers’ struggles that night. Addison Barger reached first on a ground ball that made it to the outfield, advanced to second on a Snell wild pitch, moved to third on another wild pitch from Snell, and ultimately scored on a wild pitch by Edgardo Henríquez.

This marked the first time in World Series history that a team threw three wild pitches in a single inning.

Just under 48 hours earlier, the Dodgers emerged victorious from an 18-inning marathon to take a 2-1 series lead. However, that game highlighted their offensive challenges, particularly their inability to score against a Blue Jays bullpen that has been nearly as inconsistent as their own this postseason. This trend has persisted in the subsequent two games, and L.A. now needs a significant offensive turnaround to achieve MLB’s first back-to-back championships since 2000.

“It’s disheartening,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “It’s evident that their team is finding ways to get hits and advance runners, while we’re not executing well. … We have the capability, but we need to make adjustments.”

Can the Dodgers still pull this off?

The Dodgers will attempt to rally against Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman in front of a hostile Toronto crowd in Game 6. On a positive note, they will have Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound, the only starting pitcher who has been effective against the Toronto lineup.

Yamamoto made MLB history with consecutive complete games in Game 2. He has consistently been the Dodgers’ most reliable pitcher throughout the year and has demonstrated postseason capabilities during his career in Japan. However, the Blue Jays’ lineup will be facing him for a second time, which has proven to be a challenge for starting pitchers.

“He has exceptional talent,” Schneider said. “He’s an intelligent pitcher, and we’re hoping to get to him early, make him throw a lot of pitches, and exploit the bullpen, which is what we’ve been doing with starting pitchers all year.”

On paper, Yamamoto vs. Gausman presents an advantage for the Dodgers based on this year’s performances. And if they can extend the series to a Game 7, the atmosphere at Rogers Centre on Saturday will be tense. However, considering the Dodgers’ recent offensive struggles, achieving that “if” remains a significant hurdle.

Stay tuned to Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights, and more from Game 5 of the 2025 World Series: