The Los Angeles Dodgers entered Game 1 of the 2025 World Series with confidence, handing the ball to ace Blake Snell after a dominant postseason stretch. Snell had been nearly untouchable, allowing just two runs across 21 innings in October. Facing the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, expectations were high for another stellar outing from the left-hander.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically on Friday night. The Dodgers’ pitching depth — one of their biggest strengths throughout the playoffs — faltered when the Blue Jays erupted for a nine-run sixth inning, the highest-scoring frame in a World Series game since 1968.
After the defeat, Snell addressed reporters, offering an honest reflection on what went wrong. “I just wasn’t locating the ball, it’s pretty simple. Command with the fastball wasn’t great… Changeup, I couldn’t locate that either… It’s just frustrating but I learned a lot. Still confident. I know what I can do, I know who I am,” he told SportsNet LA.
Dodgers’ ace falters in historic inning
Snell allowed five runs on eight hits in five innings, a sharp contrast to his dominant postseason run. The Blue Jays’ offense, which had been quiet through the early innings, found its rhythm in the middle frames. Daulton Varsho ignited the comeback with a two-run home run off a 96 mph fastball in the fourth, tying the game 2-2.
“I made a mistake to Varsho [with] a fastball down the middle. Just a tough game,” Snell admitted afterward. From there, Toronto’s bats didn’t look back. The sixth inning proved disastrous for Los Angeles as the Blue Jays sent 12 batters to the plate, breaking the game wide open.
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Barger’s grand slam seals Game 1 for Toronto
The defining moment came when Addison Barger launched the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, capping the nine-run explosion. Snell was already out of the game after hitting Varsho with a high fastball to load the bases. Manager Dave Roberts made the call to pull his starter, replacing him with Emmet Sheehan. By the end of the inning, Toronto led 11-2 and never looked back, taking Game 1 with an 11-4 victory.
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Despite the setback, Snell maintained confidence in the Dodgers’ resilience. “We’re confident. We know how good we are. But it was a tough game. They came out swinging and had a better game,” he said. “[But] you’ve gotta win four.”
