The 2025 World Series gave us one of the best matchups in recent memory. The Toronto Blue Jays. The Los Angeles Dodgers. Seven games. Eleven innings in the finale. A walk-off home run that set off fireworks across California.
If you missed it — or you want to relive every moment — this is the guide for you.
What Happened in the 2025 World Series?
The Dodgers beat the Blue Jays in seven games, winning the series 4–3. Game 7 went into extra innings. Will Smith homered in the 11th inning to give the Dodgers a 5–4 win at Rogers Centre.
The Dodgers became MLB’s first franchise to win back-to-back titles since the 1998–2000 Yankees. This was the ninth overall World Series title for Los Angeles.
For Toronto? It was heartbreak. The Blue Jays made their third World Series appearance and their first in 32 years, following their back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993.
2025 World Series: Game-by-Game Results
| Game | Date | Winner | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Oct 24 | Blue Jays | 11–4 | Toronto |
| Game 2 | Oct 25 | Dodgers | 5–1 | Toronto |
| Game 3 | Oct 27 | Dodgers | 6–5 (18 inn) | Los Angeles |
| Game 4 | Oct 28 | Blue Jays | 6–2 | Los Angeles |
| Game 5 | Oct 29 | Blue Jays | 6–1 | Los Angeles |
| Game 6 | Oct 31 | Dodgers | 3–1 | Toronto |
| Game 7 | Nov 1 | Dodgers | 5–4 (11 inn) | Toronto |
Game 1 — Blue Jays Come Out Swinging
The Blue Jays set the tone fast. Addison Barger launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history. Alejandro Kirk added a two-run homer. Toronto scored nine runs in the sixth inning alone in an 11–4 opening win.
The Rogers Centre crowd went wild. Toronto hadn’t hosted a World Series in 32 years. You could feel that energy through the screen.
Game 2 — Yamamoto Shuts It Down
Los Angeles fired back. Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw a complete game, giving up just one run — the first complete game in a World Series since 2015.
It was a dominating performance. Toronto’s bats went quiet. The series was tied.
Game 3 — The Greatest Game of the Series
This one was special. Maybe one of the best World Series games ever played.
Freddie Freeman homered leading off the bottom of the 18th inning. Shohei Ohtani went deep twice in another record-setting night. The Dodgers outlasted the Blue Jays 6–5 in a game that lasted 6 hours and 39 minutes — matching the longest game by innings in postseason history.
It was Freeman’s second World Series walk-off homer in two years.
Game 4 — Guerrero Says “Not Over Yet”
After the crushing 18-inning loss, the Blue Jays needed a leader. They got one.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stepped up after Game 3 and told his team: “Come on, bro. Head up. It’s not over. They gotta win four games to win the World Series.”
Then he went out and proved it. Guerrero crushed a homer off Shohei Ohtani, and the Blue Jays evened the series with a 6–2 win.
Game 5 — A Rookie Makes History
Trey Yesavage. Remember that name.
Just 46 days after his major league debut, Yesavage set a World Series rookie record with 12 strikeouts and no walks. The Blue Jays won 6–1. Toronto led the series 3–2 and was one win from their first title since 1993.
Game 6 — The Dodgers Escape
The Blue Jays had a chance to win it all at home. The Dodgers had other plans.
Kiké Hernández turned what might have been a tying two-run single into the first game-ending left field-to-second base double play in postseason history. The Dodgers preserved a 3–1 win and pushed the series to Game 7.
Game 7 — The Finish No One Will Forget
Game 7 featured a game-tying home run from Miguel Rojas in the top of the ninth inning — the first time ever in World Series Game 7 history that a game-tying homer was hit that late. Then a series-saving catch by Andy Pages in the bottom of the ninth. Then Will Smith’s walk-off homer in the 11th — the first go-ahead home run hit in extra innings in a Game 7 ever.
Many writers called it one of the greatest games in baseball history. The Dodgers won. The drought in Toronto continues.
The MVP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto Was Unstoppable
Yamamoto finished the series 3–0 with a 1.02 ERA. He became just the 14th pitcher to earn three wins in a World Series — and the first since Randy Johnson in 2001.
He also pitched in both Games 6 and 7. That kind of endurance at the biggest stage is rare.
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Blue Jays vs Dodgers: All-Time Head-to-Head Record
Before 2025, most people didn’t think of the Blue Jays and Dodgers as rivals. They play in different leagues. They almost never meet in the regular season.
That changed fast.
| Category | Dodgers | Blue Jays |
|---|---|---|
| All-time wins (vs each other) | 23 | 14 |
| All-time record | 23–14 (62.2%) | 14–23 (37.8%) |
| Regular season record | 19–11 | 11–19 |
| World Series record | Won in 7 (2025) | Lost in 7 (2025) |
The two teams have played a total of 37 games against each other, including regular season and postseason. The Dodgers hold a 23–14 all-time record against Toronto.
Regular Season History: Who Wins More Often?
The Dodgers have owned this matchup over the years. But Toronto has shown they can compete.
Over the last three seasons, the Dodgers hold a 9–7 edge over the Blue Jays in head-to-head regular season play.
The two teams played a three-game series in August 2025 at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers won two of three, but a blown lead in the finale handed home-field advantage to Toronto for the World Series. That single regular-season result shaped the entire postseason.
Blue Jays vs Dodgers: The Off-Season Rivalry Continues
You might think the rivalry ended with Game 7. It didn’t.
After the World Series, the Dodgers outbid the Blue Jays and Mets for star outfielder Kyle Tucker, signing him to a contract with an average annual value of over $60 million per season. Tucker became the first player in MLB history to turn down a $300 million offer — turning down Toronto’s 10-year, $350 million deal.
The two teams also competed to sign Shohei Ohtani before 2024 and Teoscar Hernández after that. The off-field battles are just as intense as the on-field ones.
Key Players to Watch in This Rivalry
Los Angeles Dodgers
- Shohei Ohtani — Pitches and hits. One of a kind. He set World Series records in 2025 just by reaching base repeatedly.
- Freddie Freeman — Two World Series walk-off homers in two years. Clutch in October every single time.
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto — The 2025 World Series MVP. Arguably the best pitcher in baseball in October.
- Will Smith — Hit the Game 7 walk-off homer. That alone puts him in Dodgers history forever.
Toronto Blue Jays
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — Signed a $500 million extension. The face of the franchise. He hit seven homers and drove in 14 runs in the 2025 postseason — setting Toronto records.
- Trey Yesavage — A rookie who made World Series history. His future is very bright.
- George Springer — A veteran leader and key piece at the top of the lineup.
- Bo Bichette — Was hurt during the series but fought to return. Note: Bichette signed with the Mets after the World Series ended.
Why the 2025 World Series Felt So Different?
Most World Series matchups are familiar. You’ve seen these teams before.
This one felt fresh. The Blue Jays had not been here in 32 years. Toronto fans were electric. The Rogers Centre was packed. Joe Carter, who hit the walk-off homer to win the 1993 World Series, threw out the first pitch.
It was a full-circle moment. And yet the ending was the same as 1993 — just reversed. This time it was the visiting team celebrating on the Toronto field.
What This Means for Both Teams in 2026?
Dodgers: Dynasty Mode
The Dodgers now have three titles in six seasons. Their president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said: “Our overarching goal is for this to be the golden era of Dodger baseball.”
They added Kyle Tucker. They kept their core. They’ll enter 2026 as the clear favorites again.
Blue Jays: So Close, Yet So Far
Toronto came within one win of ending a 32-year drought. That hurts.
Guerrero is signed long-term and is the cornerstone of everything they’re building. But there are questions — key free agents departed, and the AL East keeps getting tougher.
They have a real window. Whether they get back to the World Series depends on how well the front office fills the holes left behind.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Who won the 2025 World Series? The Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2025 World Series, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays four games to three. Will Smith hit a walk-off home run in Game 7, which went 11 innings.
Q: Who was the 2025 World Series MVP? Yoshinobu Yamamoto won the MVP award. He went 3–0 with a 1.02 ERA across five postseason starts.
Q: When did the Dodgers last win back-to-back World Series before 2025? Before 2025, the last team to win consecutive titles was the 1998–2000 New York Yankees. The Dodgers broke that streak by winning in 2024 and again in 2025.
Q: Have the Blue Jays ever beaten the Dodgers in the World Series? No. The 2026 World Series was the first time these two teams met in the Fall Classic. The Dodgers won in seven games.
Q: How many times have the Blue Jays been to the World Series? Three times — 1992 (won), 1993 (won), and 2025 (lost). Their first two trips ended with championships. The 2026 run came heartbreakingly close to a third.
Q: What is Shohei Ohtani’s role on the Dodgers? Ohtani is a two-way player. He pitches and hits — both at an elite level. He is under a massive long-term contract with Los Angeles and is widely considered the best player in the game.
Q: Did the Blue Jays have home-field advantage in the 2026 World Series? Yes. Toronto had the better regular-season record, so Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 were played at Rogers Centre. This actually hurt the Dodgers, who had to win Game 7 on the road — and did.
Q: What makes Blue Jays vs Dodgers such a compelling rivalry now? It started with competing to sign Ohtani. Then Teoscar Hernández. Then Roki Sasaki. Then Kyle Tucker. The two front offices have gone head-to-head in free agency multiple times. Combined with the 2025 World Series drama, this is quickly becoming one of baseball’s most interesting cross-league storylines.
Q: Who was the best player in the 2025 World Series for the Blue Jays? Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stood out the most. His seven homers and 14 RBI in the postseason set Toronto franchise records. His leadership after Game 3 also rallied the team when they needed it most.
Q: Is Yoshinobu Yamamoto one of the best October pitchers ever? Many people think so. His 2025 postseason performance — 3–0, 1.02 ERA in the World Series alone — puts him in rare company. Yamamoto pitched parts of both Game 6 and Game 7, an almost unheard-of feat in modern baseball.
Final Word
The 2026 World Series proved one thing — Blue Jays vs Dodgers is now must-watch baseball. Toronto came within one win of ending a 32-year drought, but Will Smith’s Game 7 walk-off gave Los Angeles back-to-back titles. The Dodgers are a dynasty. The Blue Jays are hungry. And with Guerrero locked in and both front offices fighting in free agency every winter, this rivalry is just getting started.
