Dodgers vs Blue Jays World Series predictions: 7 bold picks

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Friday night marks the start of a World Series pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Toronto Blue Jays, and baseball purists are buzzing about the chance to witness a rare repeat champion. The Dodgers are chasing history — no club has defended a World Series title in more than three decades — while Toronto wants to end a 30-year drought and claim its first crown since 1993.

Below are seven sharp predictions about how this best-of-seven matchup will unfold: power surges, bullpen drama, pitching duels and a few curveballs you might not expect. Read on for the angles that could decide the Fall Classic.

Freddie Freeman could re-emerge as L.A.’s biggest power threat

Freeman’s October so far has looked quieter than his regular-season reputation, but underlying metrics suggest the bats will wake up. He has history of disappearing temporarily and then erupting in a short series — a pattern that should concern the Blue Jays.

Why it matters: If Freeman rediscovers his long ball, he instantly becomes the matchup-defining slugger in this series.

What Toronto faces: A polished lefty who has shown the ability to change a five-game sample with a red-hot stretch, making run support and bullpen matchups far tougher for the visitors.

Bullpen performance will likely swing the series outcome

Postseason relief pitching has been a glaring storyline for both clubs. Toronto’s relievers have given up plenty of damage so far, and walks have piled up at an alarming rate. Los Angeles’ pen has also been vulnerable at times this year, though it did stabilize in the most recent round.

Blue Jays relief line: Elevated ERA and a high homer total in limited innings have made late innings tense.

Dodgers relief line: Not flawless, but they showed better results against their last opponent — a team whose lineup didn’t carry the same punch as Toronto’s.

Small differences in bullpen execution — pitch selection, inherited runners stranded, and one big home run allowed — could decide individual games and ultimately the series.

If Los Angeles’ starters stay dominant, a sweep is on the table

The Dodgers’ rotation has been exceptionally stingy recently, delivering extended scoreless stretches and letting the offense win close games. When starting pitchers are on top, a short series can get away from the opponent quickly.

Key starters to watch: Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani — each has shown the ability to limit runs and eat innings in high-pressure situations.

Series implication: Continued low-run performances from the rotation would put enormous pressure on Toronto’s lineup and magnify any bullpen mistakes.

Toronto’s rotation brings postseason wins but also clear weaknesses

The Blue Jays have leaned on a mix of veteran guile and unexpected breakouts. A few arms have introduced new weapons this year, while others are working back from injury or struggle with control.

Young revelations with novel pitches have helped Toronto navigate October and keep them in games.

Veterans like Shane Bieber and Kevin Gausman offer big-outing potential, but extra baserunners and walks have been an issue at times.

Factor to monitor: Age and workload — experienced hurlers can still dominate, but their margins for error shrink in a tight series.

Bo Bichette’s health situation creates a delicate lineup decision

Bichette produced one of Toronto’s best offensive seasons, but he’s not fully recovered from a left-knee sprain and hasn’t played since early September. That leaves manager John Schneider with a tricky call: risk defensive instability to get Bichette’s bat in the lineup, or preserve defense and bench a key run producer.

Possible approaches:

Use Bichette as a late-inning pinch-hitter and limit defensive exposure.

Start a defensive replacement at shortstop and bring Bichette in when his bat is most needed.

Backup options: Role players such as utility infielders can plug holes but may cost Toronto defensive range and reaction time on routine plays.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is scorching hot — can that level be sustained?

Guerrero has been arguably the most dangerous hitter in October, crushing baseballs and producing ridiculously efficient contact numbers with very few strikeouts. Sustaining that kind of peak performance across multiple series is rare, but he’s shown the ability to change games on a single swing.

What to watch: How Dodgers’ starters and bullpen plan to attack him: more offspeed, elevated fastballs or hard breaking stuff to induce weaker contact.

Even if Guerrero cools slightly, his presence forces Dodgers’ pitchers to work around him, creating RBI opportunities for teammates.

Shohei Ohtani: the fantasy-level outing everyone’s waiting for

Ohtani’s dual-threat capability makes him the most talked-about weapon on either roster. Predicting the exact outcome of any one start is risky, but if he detonates on the mound and at the plate in the same game, the series could tilt dramatically toward Los Angeles.

Possible blockbuster scenario: A dominant pitching performance paired with late-inning offensive heroics would vault him into immediate MVP conversation for the Fall Classic.

Even without an otherworldly game, Ohtani’s presence alone forces opponents into strategic dilemmas and roster juggling.

Dodgers vs Blue Jays World Series predictions: 7 bold picks

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