Dodgers vs. Blue Jays: 6 Key Questions for World Series Game 6

LOS ANGELES — The Toronto Blue Jays require a solitary triumph to secure their inaugural World Series title since 1993, presenting an occasion to celebrate alongside their devoted local supporters, with Game 6 penciled in for 8 p.m. ET on Friday at the Rogers Centre.

After succumbing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in an arduous 18-inning affair during Game 3, the Blue Jays displayed commendable tenacity over the subsequent two evenings, clinching a pair of decisive victories and reclaiming the series advantage, propelled by exceptional pitching from their starters and an imposing offense that has been a hallmark of Toronto’s triumphant season.

The Dodgers, conversely, have collectively entered a period of difficulty, confronting elimination as the series reconvenes in Toronto.

Here are the six foremost questions looming prior to World Series Game 6:

1. Can Yoshinobu Yamamoto repeat his heroic performance?

It was Yamamoto who almost single-handedly ensured Los Angeles’ initial triumph in the World Series, courtesy of his remarkable complete game in Game 2, marking his second successive nine-inning endeavor this postseason. Yamamoto retired the concluding 20 Blue Jays batters he encountered, needing only 72 pitches to navigate his last seven innings, predominantly utilizing his exceptional splitter and potent curveball to disrupt Toronto’s offensive rhythm. It was a masterful display, one that he must now attempt to replicate against a formidable and perilous Blue Jays lineup, who will have had ample time to devise an enhanced strategy to combat him.

Expecting Yamamoto to pitch the entire game again appears overly optimistic, particularly given the Dodgers’ limited roster of dependable relievers to manage the concluding innings. If Yamamoto excels once more, and the L.A. offense establishes a commanding lead, it would be entirely logical for manager Dave Roberts to permit Yamamoto to continue and prevent the bullpen from entering the game for its duration.

There exists an intriguing historical parallel: The last pitcher to achieve multiple complete-game victories in a World Series was Dodgers icon Orel Hershiser in 1988. Nevertheless, both times Hershiser stepped onto the mound in that Fall Classic, his Dodgers already held a series lead, with his Game 2 victory placing them ahead 2-0, and his Game 5 masterpiece securing the championship. Yamamoto’s second appearance will occur under considerably more challenging circumstances, as the Dodgers’ season hangs in the balance as they journey north.

A 1-0 series deficit scarcely affected Yamamoto in Game 2 — and he has participated in numerous significant games throughout his career, from the Japan Series to the World Baseball Classic to last year’s World Series — but his performance with the Dodgers facing elimination will significantly determine whether this series progresses to Game 7.

2. Will George Springer return in this World Series?

As Yamamoto gears up to face Toronto for a second time, a crucial unknown casts a shadow over the lineup he will encounter. George Springer accounted for two of the five baserunners against Yamamoto in Game 2, with a leadoff double in the opening inning and a hit-by-pitch in the third. However, following his early departure from Game 3 due to discomfort in his right side during a swing, Springer was absent from the lineup for the subsequent two games and remained on the bench. The fact that Toronto managed to prevail in both contests without their influential leadoff hitter and seasoned October performer speaks volumes about the depth of the roster, but Springer’s availability remains a pivotal storyline as this series reverts to Toronto.

Manager John Schneider indicated before Game 5 that Springer was showing improvement and could be available off the bench, but the game never presented an opportunity for a potential Springer appearance, leaving uncertainty about his readiness to enter the game. It might seem unwise to retain Springer on the roster if he is unable to contribute effectively — as the Blue Jays replaced Anthony Santander mid-series due to injury in the previous round — yet it is also difficult to imagine the resilient Springer not attempting to secure a place on the bench for the remainder of this series, even if he is not fit enough to start. As was the case before Game 5, and based on Schneider’s description of Springer’s condition as “hour-to-hour,” we likely won’t know Springer’s status until Toronto announces its lineup on Friday.

3. Can Kevin Gausman elevate his Game 2 performance?

While Gausman’s Game 2 outing concluded on a somewhat disappointing note, with two significant home runs conceded to Will Smith and Max Muncy, it is also reasonable to acknowledge that Gausman pitched effectively, demonstrating command and efficiency through the middle innings, culminating in his longest start of the postseason, an admirable 6 ⅔ innings. Gausman relied heavily on his four-seam fastball in Game 2 — 49 of his 82 pitches were fastballs, a 59.8% usage rate that ranked seventh-highest among his 37 starts this year (regular season + postseason) — perhaps we’ll witness a greater emphasis on splitters and sliders on Friday. Despite ending up on the losing side in their initial encounter due to Yamamoto’s exceptional effort, Gausman’s largely successful first World Series start should instill considerable confidence as he enters the potential series-clinching Game 6, particularly given the struggles of the non-Ohtani Dodgers hitters for much of this series. Speaking of the L.A. lineup….

4. Can the Dodgers’ offense awaken in time to salvage their season?

Roberts had witnessed sufficient offensive struggles. After an extended period of unsatisfactory and unproductive offensive output, with the exception of Shohei Ohtani’s extraordinary swings and a handful of other home runs, Roberts opted to revamp the starting lineup for Game 5, diverging from the remarkably consistent alignment he had employed throughout October. The modifications included shifting Mookie Betts from second to third, a position he hadn’t started at since 2021, promoting catcher Will Smith to the No. 2 spot, and replacing No. 9 hitter Andy Pages — mired in a historically poor slump — with Alex Call in left field, which resulted in Kiké Hernández moving to center field.

The consequence of Roberts’ altered lineup? One of the team’s most lackluster offensive performances of the year, equaling a season high with 15 strikeouts — two more than they had recorded across 18 innings two nights prior — and managing only six baserunners in total, with Kiké Hernández’s solo home run representing the team’s lone run. Much of this dismal showing can be attributed to the exceptional form of Toronto rookie righty Trey Yesavage, who delivered a truly noteworthy performance, but the L.A. lineup boasts too many accomplished hitters to simply dismiss the situation and attribute it solely to the pitcher’s dominance. Roberts echoed this sentiment postgame:

“It doesn’t inspire confidence. It’s evident that they’re finding ways to secure hits and advance the ball, while we’re struggling to do so. Yesavage pitched effectively tonight, mixing his fastball, slider, and split. Nevertheless, we must utilize the entire field, capitalize on what they give us, and if they’re limiting power, then we must redirect and take competitive at-bats. We possess that capability, and we must make adjustments.”

Regardless of how Roberts chooses to arrange his lineup in Game 6, the offense must resolve its issues promptly or risk returning home defeated.

5. Which bullpen arms are reliable — on both sides?

It’s possible that Yamamoto and Gausman will replicate their exceptional performances in Game 6 and pitch deep into the game, reducing the pressure on both managers to rely heavily on their bullpens. But what if they don’t? What if circumstances deteriorate for one or both starters early on, requiring Roberts and Schneider to improvise their strategy to secure 27 outs in the most critical game of the season? Irrespective of the starters’ performances, it’s reasonable to anticipate “all-hands-on-deck” sentiments from Los Angeles, who are facing elimination — and perhaps a similar mindset from Toronto, who are within reach of the World Series — but the practical implications of this sentiment remain unclear at this juncture.

Currently, the Dodgers seem to have only one reliever they are genuinely confident in, Roki Sasaki, who has only appeared in Dodgers victories this postseason but has yet to enter a game to maintain a close score while L.A. is trailing — only while ahead or with the game tied. Would this change if L.A. faces a small deficit late in Game 6? Sasaki could be pivotal in securing a season-saving victory for the Dodgers, but they must first get the ball to him, and if that involves anyone other than Yamamoto, prepare for a challenge. Aside from Game 3 and the unexpected heroics of Will Klein, this unit has been unreliable for some time. Alex Vesia’s unexpected absence has undoubtedly contributed, but Vesia alone couldn’t resolve the issues Los Angeles has encountered in the later innings recently.

Conversely, the Blue Jays have identified a few more dependable relief arms as the postseason has progressed — with Chris Bassitt being the foremost among them — but have also lost some confidence in two key regular-season contributors, Brendon Little and Seranthony Dominguez. This leaves Jeff Hoffman and Louis Varland as the most probable high-leverage arms to be called upon to secure a title-clinching victory, perhaps with a cameo from Mason Fluharty to handle one of Los Angeles’ left-handed sluggers in a critical moment.

Of course, lingering over all bullpen-related considerations at this stage in the series is the possibility of starting pitchers making themselves available in relief. We witnessed Gausman pitch in relief in ALCS Game 7; could Shane Bieber make a similar appearance in Game 6 or 7 this weekend? What about Yesavage? Tyler Glasnow is scheduled to start Game 7 as things stand, but could we see Ohtani take the mound again before the end of the series? Or Snell, as he openly suggested after Game 5? Everything is on the table as this momentous series approaches its conclusion.

6. How will the Dodgers cope with facing elimination?

“We’ve faced elimination games before, a core group of these players, and we must find a way to win,” Roberts stated following Game 5. He is correct that several key members of the L.A. roster have experienced this high-pressure situation before; this is to be expected given their 13 consecutive playoff appearances.

However, it is also true that this year’s championship pursuit and the majority of last year’s World Series run featured Los Angeles playing with an advantage. The Dodgers dominated all three of their opponents on the National League side of the bracket this October, losing only one game against the Phillies in the NLDS. The 2024 Dodgers defeated the Yankees in the World Series in five games and never faced a series deficit in the NLCS against the Mets, which means that L.A.’s most recent elimination game came in last year’s NLDS showdown with the Padres, when the Dodgers rebounded from a 2-1 series deficit to shut out San Diego in Games 4 and 5 to advance to the NLCS. This encouraging precedent was quickly cited by the Dodgers after Wednesday’s uninspiring defeat, but winning two consecutive games in Southern California against a familiar rival is significantly different from doing so on the road against an opposite-coast powerhouse that has comprehensively outperformed them for the majority of this series.

Whatever transpires on Friday, we are certain to witness something significant — the first Blue Jays title in 32 years, or the gift of a Game 7, which would be a fitting finale to what has been a remarkable World Series.