The 2025 MLB postseason has given us plenty of surprises, but perhaps none more so than Friday night’s World Series Game 1. Against all odds, the Toronto Blue Jays erupted for nine runs in the bottom of the sixth against the most relentless pitching staff in baseball, comfortably winning 11-4 to take a 1-0 series lead.
Few would have predicted that the bottom of the Blue Jays’ lineup and their bench would be the deciding factor in Game 1.. After Ernie Clement’s bases-loaded RBI single started the scoring in their explosive sixth inning, Nathan Lukes drew a bases-loaded walk for the second run. Andres Gimenez singled in another run from the nine-hole before Addison Barger launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history. Alejandro Kirk added another two-run homer before it was all said and done.
“That’s kind of how we roll,” Toronto manager John Schneider said after the Game 1 win. “So much credit to the guys up and down the lineup being ready to come into the game. … Those at-bats in that inning started with Bo’s walk, then a knock, and it kind of just kept on going. Those were some pretty terrific at-bats from everyone up and down the order.”
“That’s the epitome of our offense,” Clement added. “It’s a collective effort, and everybody just doing their job.”
Everyone will be expecting an immediate bounceback from the Dodgers, especially with Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking the hill tonight. However, Kevin Gausman won’t make it easy for Los Angeles, as he’s posted a 2.00 ERA this season. With the favorites having lost Game 1 and a full college football slate, your betting apps will be loaded with tons of potential value tonight. Futures, best bets, and player prop parlays all offer fantastic odds that you can take advantage of.
Los Angeles Dodgers @ Toronto Blue Jays
- Home Run Pick: Shohei Ohtani (+210 via FanDuel)
- Player Prop Pick: Yoshinobu Yamamoto First Pitch 94.9 MPH or Slower (+160 via FanDuel)
- Home Run Parlay: Ohtani, Max Muncy (+1400 via DraftKings)
- World Series MVP: Ohtani (+150 via Caesars Sportsbook)
- Correct Series Result: Dodgers in 6 (+375 via BetMGM Sportsbook)
- Best Parlay: Dodgers -1.5, Under 7.5 runs, Ohtani 1+ Hits, Ernie Clement 1+ Hits (+1195 via FanDuel)
- Best Bet: Clement 1+ Hits (-156 via DraftKings)
Outside of his postseason start against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS, when the Dodgers were already up 2-0 in the series, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been lights out on another level. Including that start, the 2025 All-Star has allowed three runs or less in each of his last ten starts. Yamamoto rebounded from that less-than-ideal performance with a complete game, allowing just one run on three hits.
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Blue Jays hitting numbers have been incredible against fastballs this postseason, but much tamer against the offspeed stuff. Yamamoto will almost certainly reduce his fastball usage and rely primarily on his splitter tonight.
Gausman is capable of going deep into games but hasn’t pitched over six innings in any of his last seven appearances. Against the Dodgers, we don’t see him going more than five innings, which will cause the Blue Jays bullpen to be involved early. Max Muncy and Mookie Betts have dominated Gausman a nice sample size and both love to clutch up in the postseason. We expect them to have a great night at the plate, with the Dodgers winning 5-2 to even the series at 1-1.
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Ohtani has already one-upped his 2024 World Series performance with a two-run homer in Game 1, which made his MVP odds slightly worse from +165 to +150, even with the Dodgers losing Game 1. With Ohtani likely to continue his hot run at the plate and having dominated on the mound this postseason, getting plus money on him to win MVP is still fantastic value.
Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images
