The 2025 World Series kicks off Friday night as the Dodgers visit the Blue Jays. The game starts at 8 PM. Los Angeles sends veteran Blake Snell against the Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage.

Snell missed most of the season due to a shoulder injury. He returned in August but his success was erratic until his last three starts of the regular season when he started blowing away batters. Note that the Dodgers gave him six days off between starts, and the extra recovery time appeared to matter. He walked five and struck out 28 without allowing a home run in his last 19 innings. That led to nine hits and one run allowed. He worked on five or six days rest in the post season, with 28 K and five walks in 21 innings, no home runs, six hits, and two runs allowed. He comes into game one on ten days rest.

Yesavage started pitching in the majors at about the same time Snell got hot. He struck out 16 batters in 14 regular season innings, but did show some wildness walking seven. Like Snell, he did not allow a home runs, but did give up five runs for a 3.21 ERA. He had a moment in the post season, striking out eleven Yankees in 5 1/3 innings in his debut, but Seattle managed to score seven runs against him in 9 2/3 innings, as the walks returned, and he allowed two home runs. All his post-season starts came at home. The Dodgers will be selective against him, so we’ll see how the rookie handles this giant spot light. The Dodgers have not lost a road game this post season.

Enjoy!