Jim Williams – Senior Columnist – Capital Sports Network
The 2025 World Series arrives in Los Angeles knotted at one game apiece, with the Dodgers and Blue Jays trading haymakers in Toronto. Game 1 saw Toronto erupt for a nine-run sixth inning en route to an 11-4 victory, powered by Alejandro Kirk’s two-run blast and Addison Barger’s historic pinch-hit grand slam2. The Dodgers responded in Game 2 behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s complete-game gem, silencing Toronto’s bats in a 5-1 win4.
Now, under the Southern California sky, Game 3 features a marquee pitching duel: Max Scherzer, the three-time Cy Young winner making his fourth career World Series start for a fourth franchise, and Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers’ flame-throwing ace who’s posted back-to-back eight-strikeout postseason outings6.
Scherzer, 41, is expected to deliver five solid innings, having gone 5.2 frames in the ALCS with a 3.18 postseason ERA7. Glasnow, meanwhile, faces a Toronto lineup that’s struck out just 12 times through two games—eight fewer than the Dodgers—suggesting he may need to adjust his approach.
Superstar Spotlight: Who’s Stepping Up?
- Shohei Ohtani: Booed in Game 1, Ohtani responded with a clutch eighth-inning single in Game 2, helping extend the Dodgers’ lead.
- Will Smith: Homered and drove in three runs across the first two games, including a 404-foot blast in Game 25.
- Freddie Freeman: Delivered key hits in both games, including a first-inning RBI single in Game 1.
- Alejandro Kirk: Two-run homer in Game 1 and a sacrifice fly in Game 2, driving in three total runs2.
- Addison Barger: His Game 1 grand slam was the first pinch-hit slam in World Series history.
Dodger Stadium: A Historic Stage for a Pivotal Game
Game 3’s setting—Dodger Stadium, the third-oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball—is steeped in postseason lore. From Don Drysdale’s 1963 shutout to the record-setting 18-inning marathon in 2018, the stadium has hosted iconic October moments10. Monday night adds another chapter as the Dodgers seek to leverage home-field advantage in a series where Game 3 winners have gone on to win the title 68% of the time.
With the series tied and two aces on the mound, Game 3 could swing momentum decisively. For Scherzer, it’s legacy. For Glasnow, it’s ascension. For fans, it’s baseball at its most dramatic.
