KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Major League Baseball’s 2025 World Series begins Friday night north of the border with the Toronto Blue Jays hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers.
This year’s Fall Classic features a few faces familiar to the area, whether that be through time spent with the Royals, a local college or growing up in the area.
Here’s who’s connected to the area for each team:
Blue Jays
Pitcher Max Scherzer, Mizzou alum
Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer is pitching for the Blue Jays this season at 41 years old. The Chesterfield, Missouri, native and Missouri alum made his first start of the postseason in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners.
Scherzer’s last outing prior to his ALCS start came in September at Kauffman Stadium. That night, the Royals got him out of the game in the first inning on a night Kansas City won 20-1.
Assistant hitting coach Hunter Mense, Liberty native
Blue Jays assistant hitting coach Hunter Mense is a Liberty, Missouri, native and — like Scherzer — also a Mizzou alum. Mense was drafted by the Florida Marlins in 2006 and played briefly for the Kansas City T-Bones in 2010 and 2012 before becoming a coach.
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Dodgers
Pitcher Will Klein, former Royal
Former Kansas City Royals reliever Will Klein was traded from the Royals to the Athletics in 2024 in a deal that brought Lucas Erceg to Kansas City. Since heading to the Athletics, Klein was traded to the Seattle Mariners in January 2025 and then traded in June from Seattle to the Dodgers.
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Will Klein throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Royals won 4-3. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)(Charlie Riedel | AP)
Klein is on the Dodgers’ 26-man World Series roster but has yet to pitch this postseason.
Pitcher Blake Treinen, Wichita native
Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen was bron in Wichita and played high school baseball at Osage City High School in Osage City, Kansas.
Treinen had a 2-7 record and 5.40 ERA this season for the Dodgers and has been a member of a World Series-winning Dodgers team in 2020 and 2024.
Pitcher Chris Stratton, former Royal
Former Royals reliever Chris Stratton would be in line to receive a World Series ring if the Dodgers win the title. He’s not on the World Series roster, but Stratton pitched in three games for the Dodgers this season after being released by the Royals.
Game 1 begins Friday night at 7 p.m. CT.
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