The Fall Classic is set! Starting this Friday, Oct. 24, it will be the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series. Two teams loaded with talent, but who took very different paths to get here.
The Dodgers dismantled the National League en route to their pennant title. It started with a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, then a humble 3-1 series win over the Philadelphia Phillies and finally a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the championship series in one of the most impressive pitching showcases in modern baseball history. The Blue Jays, on the other hand, have had to fight to get to the Fall Classic. It took a comeback game seven win over the Seattle Mariners to win the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in a series where they were always playing from behind.
Regardless of how, the stage is set. Will the Dodgers be the first repeat champions in 25 years, or will the Blue Jays end a 32-year World Series drought? Here are our predictions for the 2025 World Series:
Joseph Rainbolt: Dodgers in 5
Although I would be disheartened if the Dodgers won, this team has looked outstanding. With a playoff rotation of Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow and Ohtani, I almost want to pick them to win in four. However, I’ll exercise some caution and predict that the Blue Jays can steal one. The entire Dodgers' roster is loaded with talent. A big three of Ohtani, Freeman and Betts is backed up with an all-star lineup and a bullpen that has some of the best stuff in the league, including the resurgence of Roki Sasaki as a closer. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been the hottest hitter in the league this October, and the Blue Jays are a scrappy squad with quite a bit of pitching firepower of their own, but I don’t think it will be enough to overcome the monster that the Dodgers have built.
Talia Lehrer: Dodgers in 6
I truly would love to see the World Series go to game seven, as the fight would be energetic and the storylines endless. As a loyal fan of neither of the two teams competing, a longer baseball season is a win for me — except I don’t think that’s likely. The Blue Jays proved they could rally from behind with home runs at key moments like George Springer’s in the ALCS game seven and Guerrero Jr. in game six. With a rotation led by Trey Yesavage, currently ranked third for post-season pitchers, the Jays have the ability to bounce back. Yet the Dodgers have been on fire this post season with power hitters and a stacked rotation. Also, we can’t forget about their slaughtering of my Phillies and then the Brewers, two teams with a better regular season record. Maybe the power of a whole country rooting for them will make the Toronto home games electric enough to invigorate wins.
Freddy Branson: Blue Jays in 6
Am I aware that the Dodgers are all but a shoe in to go back-to-back this year? Yes. They have assembled a roster almost without a flaw; from their Cerberus-like three-headed MVP monster of Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, to their loaded starting rotation, and of course their bullpen with the addition of Sasaki, there really doesn't seem to be anything that could come in the way of the Dodgers lifting the trophy at the end of the season. Despite that, I am putting my blind faith in Vladdy, Springer and co. to put the nation of Canada on their back and end the reign of inevitable terror that the Dodgers bring to every matchup. Will it be difficult? Once again, yes. But maybe Hopkins’ namesakes can pull off the unlikely upset against all odds...
