MLB fans were wondering when, not if, the Los Angeles Dodgers would repeat as World Series champions before this series even began. The reasons for this ultimately came down to the talent on the Dodgers' roster and how well the team had played leading up to the Fall Classic. Many also assumed the Toronto Blue Jays were awfully similar to the team the Dodgers just swept in the NLCS, the Milwaukee Brewers.
But in just one game, they showed that they're different. They rallied from an early deficit to defeat the Dodgers 11-4 in Game 1. Sure, there's a long way to go, but the Jays made quite a statement.
The game was tied at two entering the bottom of the sixth, and in that inning, the Jays showed just how good they are, scoring nine runs to put the Dodgers away quickly. The Dodgers are really good, and should've been considered the favorites to win it all, but it was never going to be easy. No disrespect to the Brewers, but the Blue Jays are just better.
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Dodgers are far more beatable than the Brewers made them out to be
The Dodgers are great, but the Brewers made them look unbeatable. The Dodgers swept the best-of-seven series, outscoring the Brewers 15-4 in those games. Yes, while the Brewers were able to contain the Dodgers' bats to an extent, they scored a total of one run in each of the four games. That's not good enough. Sure, the Dodgers deserve credit for that, but how do you excuse Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, William Contreras, Christian Yelich and Andrew Vaughn combining to go 7-for-70 in the series? They got taken the distance with a banged-up Cubs team in the NLDS, too.
The Brewers' at-bats were so uncompetitive in the NLCS that Dodgers starters combined to throw 28.2 innings in the series, averaging over seven innings per game. The bullpen, which had been the Dodgers' Achilles heel, had to throw 7.1 innings all series long. The Brewers scored two of their four runs against that bullpen, proving that had they been able to force starters out earlier, perhaps this could've been a series.
Blue Jays have never been quite like the Brewers
I get the comparison. Both of these teams are contact-oriented, run the bases well and play excellent defense. Both of them surprised in the regular season thanks in large part to contributions from little-known players. However, this postseason has gone to show that the Jays are nothing like the Brewers.
Despite playing in three more postseason games, the Jays have struck out seven fewer times than Milwaukee. Despite playing in only three more postseason games, the Jays have hit 15 more home runs and 15 more doubles than Milwaukee. Despite playing in only three more postseason games, the Jays have scored 56 more postseason runs than Milwaukee.
The Jays don't strike out, but they also do damage. The Brewers struck out more than expected in October, and they did next to no damage, particularly against the Dodgers. The Blue Jays put pressure on the defense while also hitting for power. The Brewers did neither.
Blue Jays took full advantage of major Dodgers weakness
Blake Snell, one of the best pitchers on the planet, started this game, and he suddenly looked mortal. He allowed at least one hit in four of the five innings he pitched (eight total), and he issued three walks. He threw 100 pitches without recording an out in the sixth. Against the Brewers, Snell allowed just one hit and struck out 10 in eight innings without issuing a walk and throwing 103 pitches.
The Blue Jays made life tough for Snell all night, even though they only had two runs in five innings, and that caused him to not only tire out in the sixth, but it forced the Dodgers to turn to their bullpen in that inning with the bases loaded and nobody out. Snell's struggles as he started to tire kicked off the rally, but the Jays scored all nine of their runs that inning against the Dodgers' bullpen.
The key against this Dodgers team is to get to their bullpen as quickly as possible. The Jays did that, and the Brewers were unable to. If the Jays continue to do this, winning the World Series becomes a very real possibility.
Blue Jays stars have shown up in ways other Dodgers opponents haven't seen
It's taken a complete team effort for the Jays to have gotten this far, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer, their two best hitters all year, have led the way. It was Guerrero Jr. who was historically great through the first two series. It was Springer who hit the series-clinching home run in the ALCS.
The Philadelphia Phillies got next to nothing from Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, their three best hitters by far, in three of the four NLDS games. The Brewers, as mentioned above, got next to nothing from their stars.
Depth is important, but nothing is more important with the lights shining bright than to watch stars play like stars. The Blue Jays' stars have done that, and the Dodgers' stars have done that. The other teams the Dodgers have faced did not.
It took one inning for the Blue Jays to show they won't go down easily
That elusive sixth inning saw a little bit of everything. The Jays drew two walks, the second of which was a Nathan Lukes free pass with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 4-2. The Jays hit a pair of clutch run-scoring singles, the first of which was driven in by Ernie Clement, who continues to dominate this postseason. The Jays also hit a pair of home runs, the first of which was an Addison Barger pinch-hit grand slam.
They make pitchers work hard, they make an absurd amount of contact and they hit for power. They're unrelenting. We've seen this all postseason long, so why expect anything different in the World Series?
The Dodgers might still win this series, but Toronto won't roll over. I mean, one swing from Barger tied the run total the Brewers scored all series long in the NLCS. Milwaukee was the better regular-season team, but October is a different beast. The Jays are legit, and the Brewers, sadly, never were.