For the first time since last October’s unforgettable World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays met again. The setting was different this time, early in the season instead of at its peak, but there was still a sense of familiarity between the two clubs.
The Dodgers took two of three in Toronto, opening the series with a performance that quickly set the tone.
Game 1 was a breakout night for catcher Dalton Rushing and a reminder of just how dangerous the Dodgers’ lineup can be.
Los Angeles rolled to a 14-2 win behind 17 hits, with Rushing collecting four hits and driving in multiple runs. Two-way player Shohei Ohtani, first-baseman Freddie Freeman and outfielder Teoscar Hernández all homered as the offense kept producing from start to finish.
Left-handed pitcher Justin Wrobleski got the start and was solid, allowing just one run over five innings. He worked around some control issues and a handful of walks but kept Toronto from building momentum.
By the late innings, the game had gotten out of hand, and infielder Miguel Rojas took the mound to close things out. It’s a role he’s stepped into before in blowouts, but in this matchup it carried a little extra meaning. Just months after his moment at the plate in last year’s World Series, Rojas was back in the spotlight in a completely different way.
Game 2 brought a different pace.
Right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered six innings of one-run baseball in a 4-1 Dodgers win, keeping Toronto off balance all night. The Dodgers didn’t need another offensive surge, just timely hitting and strong pitching, and Yamamoto made sure that was enough.
With that, Los Angeles had already secured the series.
The Blue Jays responded in Game 3, avoiding the sweep with a 4-3 win in a tighter contest.
Shohei Ohtani started and was effective through six innings, allowing just one run. But the Dodgers’ bullpen faltered late, giving up three runs that shifted the game. Los Angeles had opportunities late but couldn’t find the hit they needed.
This series didn’t carry the weight of October, but it still felt connected. From Rushing’s breakout performance to a lopsided opener that ended with a familiar face on the mound, it added another chapter to a matchup that continues to produce memorable moments.
The Dodgers leave Toronto with the series win, while the Blue Jays leave knowing how small the margin was.
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