The Toronto Blue Jays are back on baseball’s biggest stage for the first time in over three decades — but to dethrone the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, they’ll need near perfection.

1. Attack Early and Often

If the Jays want to win the 2025 World Series, they’ll have to pressure LA’s elite rotation right out of the gate. That means quality at-bats and early offense from George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the veteran bats of Alejandro Kirk and Daulton Varsho.

“Hit!” one analyst put it simply. “The Jays must get to the Dodgers’ starters early.”

2. Ride Vlad Jr.’s Hot Streak

No player in these playoffs has been hotter than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The slugger has six home runs, a .442 batting average, and an eye-popping 1.440 OPS this postseason — numbers that could tilt the series in Toronto’s favor.

“Ohtani may be the best ever,” one writer noted, “but Guerrero is even hotter right now. If anyone can disrupt the Dodgers’ rhythm, it’s him.”

3. Grind Down LA’s Pitching

Toronto’s contact-heavy lineup will need to wear down the Dodgers’ starters and raise pitch counts. Long at-bats, foul balls, and patience are the key. Force Dave Roberts to go to the bullpen — the one area where LA has shown occasional cracks.

“If Vlad Jr. stays scorching and Bo Bichette protects him,” another expert said, “the Jays have a real puncher’s chance.”

4. Stay Smart on Defense and the Bases

While aggression will be key at the plate, defensive discipline and smart baserunning could make or break Toronto’s chances. Every extra out could be fatal against a lineup featuring Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.

“The Jays must pressure LA’s defense and take every opportunity on the bases,” one analyst wrote. “But on the field, no mistakes — play conservative and take the outs.”

What the Dodgers Must Do to Repeat

The Dodgers have been nearly flawless this postseason, with their starters combining for a 1.40 ERA and 0.75 WHIPthrough ten games. In nine of those starts, the pitcher allowed four hits or fewer.

If LA’s rotation — Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani — stays sharp, they’ll be nearly impossible to beat.

Even if the bats go cold, their pitching might be enough. “They just held the Brewers to four runs in four games,” one analyst pointed out. “Score three runs a night and they’ll probably win.”

With Rōki Sasaki now closing, the Dodgers’ one weak link — the bullpen — may finally be fixed.

World Series MVP Predictions

• Shohei Ohtani: The heavy favorite. Expect fireworks on both sides of the ball — home runs in consecutive games and a dominant Game 5 start.

• Blake Snell: The Game 1 starter could erase his 2020 World Series heartbreak with two big wins.

• Kevin Gausman: Toronto’s ace has allowed just three runs in three postseason starts. If he wins twice, he could steal the MVP — and the series.

Bold Predictions

• Max Muncy rebounds from a hitless 2024 Series to lead the Dodgers in home runs.

• Rōki Sasaki records multiple six-out saves, becoming the youngest closer ever to clinch a World Series title.

• Drake drops a “Bo Bichette” freestyle if the Jays win a game in Toronto (because, of course he will).

• Toronto fans make Rogers Centre electric — and maybe a little rowdy — if calls don’t go their way.

Who Wins the 2025 World Series?

• Dodgers in 4–2: LA’s discipline and depth overwhelm Toronto.

• Dodgers in 4–1: The rotation is simply too strong.

• Dodgers in 4–3: Toronto fights hard, but Ohtani and company are too much.

• Blue Jays in 4–3: The dream finish — Guerrero, Bichette, and Gausman deliver Canada’s first title since 1993, capped by a walk-off homer from Addison Barger in Game 7.