The 5 battles that built the Blue Jays vs. Dodgers rivalry from scratch

Outside of heated rivalries or long-anticipated reunions, it can be hard to get excited about early-season Major League Baseball games once the Opening Day luster fades away.

Clearly, no one told that to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, who begin a three-game set at Rogers Centre on Monday night. We didn’t need to wait long for the 2025 World Series rematch, one that features Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. going head-to-head once again — and, this time, we’ll even get to see the two battle in a pitcher-hitter matchup.

If just the thought of a rematch wasn’t enough, here are some storylines and showdowns we’re looking forward to when the action kicks off Monday night.

The battle: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. vs. Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani (L) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The saying has long been that fans dig the long ball. I think it’s fair to say that an enthusiastic first baseman and one of the greatest talents we’ll ever see take a baseball field should also be quite appealing, especially given both players' penchants for going deep.

Guerrero has solidified his place among baseball’s top sluggers, averaging 4.6 bWAR and an .879 OPS from 2021–25. He’s a proven power threat who can beat you with gap-to-gap line drives or the viral home run, and he’s no slouch defensively.

As for Ohtani, he reached the “one name needed” level a long time ago. Prince, Kobe, LeBron, Brady, Mantle, Shohei. That’s not exactly bad company.

The battle: Canada vs. Japan

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

At some point, when I still lived in New York during the Yankees’ Core Four era, I met a Canadian man who told me about “Toronto Blue Jays Syndrome.” He believed, more often than not, the Blue Jays would have a strong first half, maybe even lead the AL East at some point in June, before inevitably finishing behind the Yankees and Red Sox.

Suffice to say, I’m sure even the most cynical Jays fans entered this year feeling extremely optimistic. Guerrero signed a 14-year contract with a full no-trade clause last spring, which would theoretically allow him to play his entire career in Toronto. Here was a perennial All-Star who could have left for a major U.S. market, but had such love for Canada that he inked the deal months before he’d have hit free agency.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have long had an extensive history of acquiring proven Japanese players, with the likes of Hideo Nomo and Takashi Saito especially standing out. Then came the duo of Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Enough said on that front, even before you consider that Ohtani and Roki Sasaki each spurned Canada before signing in L.A.

The battle: Kyle Tucker vs. the Blue Jays’ free agent pitch

Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

For much of the 2025 season, and then when winter began, it felt like we collectively believed that Tucker was destined for one of the sport’s heavy spenders. The Yankees and Mets were expected to be in play for Tucker, and no one appeared ready to rule out a possible reunion with the Cubs.

Speculation mounted as the offseason got rolling that the Blue Jays might land Tucker, and they indeed offered him a 10-year, $350 million contract. However, Tucker opted to join the Dodgers’ loaded lineup on a 4-year, $240 million deal, which included a $64 million signing bonus and two opt-outs. I don’t expect the Rogers Centre crowd to show Tucker much love this week.

The battle: How to start vs. how to close

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

When we look back at the 2025 World Series, a significant — and seemingly underdiscussed — reason the Dodgers triumphed is their late-inning success. After entering the seventh inning of Game 2 tied, Los Angeles rattled off four unanswered runs for a pivotal 5–1 win. And no one will forget the Dodgers’ walk-off win in Game 3 and their legendary Game 7 comeback.

With that said, let’s also acknowledge the Blue Jays’ inability to close games — and that doesn’t mean blown leads. Did you know that in their four losses in the Fall Classic, Toronto scored only two runs in the sixth inning or later? We’d call that a fun fact, but Blue Jays fans might take offense. Eh, it’s a fun fact for everyone except those who rooted for Toronto.

The battle: Dave Roberts vs. John Schneider

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

You can’t analyze a head-to-head matchup without getting into the managers, and their respective roads to the big-league dugout are quite interesting. Roberts played a decade in the Majors as a speedy, light-hitting outfielder. After spending a year in broadcasting, Roberts joined the Padres as a special assistant, later became an assistant coach and eventually earned the Dodgers’ manager role following the 2015 season.

Roberts is one of only two Dodgers managers, joining Walter Alston, to win at least three World Series titles with the team. Depending on how this season plays out, he could become just the fourth manager in team history with at least 1,000 wins.

Then, there’s Schneider, a former catcher who never advanced beyond Triple-A. However, he became a Rookie League manager at 28 years old and gradually worked his way through the organization, winning everywhere that he went.

Schneider is one of only three managers in Blue Jays history who has led the team to the playoffs, and he could become the team’s third-winningest manager later this year. He is at 307 wins and is quickly approaching Bobby Cox’s 355.

Are the Blue Jays or Dodgers better built for a World Series in 2026?

Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Jesús Sánchez | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Here’s where things get interesting, because I believe the Dodgers have the best roster in baseball. However, I also think that the Jays have an easier run to the World Series, at least with how things currently look.

Hear me out. Which teams in the American League can you point to and say, “I truly believe they’ll be in the ALCS?” The Mariners have been consumed by off-field drama, and Cal Raleigh looks utterly lost at the plate following last year’s historic season. Aaron Judge can only carry the Yankees so far, and he has a history of disappearing in the playoffs. The Tigers have pitching problems, the Rangers might be too old and, as much as I like the Guardians, I just don’t know if they have a deep October run in them.

Then, there’s the National League. I’m not giving up on the Phillies yet, and the Brewers already look great. Atlanta seems to have figured things out after last year’s disappointing season. Do I think the Dodgers can beat any of those teams? Absolutely, but I also think those four are better than the vast majority of the American League.

More MLB news and analysis: