Yesavage Dominates Dodgers as Blue Jays Take Lead 3-2 in World Series/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Rookie Trey Yesavage struck out 12 and led the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series. With the victory, Toronto takes a 3-2 series lead and sits one win away from its first title since 1993. The Dodgers’ bats remained cold as Toronto outscored them 12-3 over the last two games.
World Series Game 5 Quick Looks
- Trey Yesavage struck out 12 in 7 dominant innings.
- Blue Jays lead the World Series 3-2 heading to Toronto.
- Yesavage set a rookie World Series record for strikeouts.
- Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit back-to-back homers to start Game 5.
- Guerrero now has 8 postseason home runs and is batting .415.
- Yesavage became first pitcher in World Series history with 12 Ks and no walks.
- Dodgers’ offense continues to slump, hitting just .202 in the series.
- Freddie Freeman praised Yesavage’s command after early struggles in Game 1.
- Toronto scored on a wild pitch, sac fly, and two RBI singles.
- Game 6 set for Friday: Yamamoto (LAD) vs. Gausman (TOR).
Deep Look
Rookie Yesavage Dominates Dodgers as Blue Jays Move One Win from World Series Title
LOS ANGELES — Trey Yesavage might have started his season in front of 300 fans, but on Wednesday night he silenced more than 52,000 at Dodger Stadium with a performance straight out of a baseball movie.
Just 46 days after making his MLB debut, the 22-year-old Toronto Blue Jays rookie delivered a masterclass in Game 5 of the World Series, striking out a record-setting 12 batters without walking a single one. His brilliance propelled the Blue Jays to a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers and gave Toronto a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
“It’s a crazy world,” Yesavage said after the game. “Hollywood couldn’t have made it this good.”
A Record Night on Baseball’s Biggest Stage
Yesavage began the game by facing Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ global superstar. From that moment on, the rookie was locked in. Using a mix of splitters, sliders, and a high-velocity fastball, Yesavage induced 23 swings and misses — the most in a World Series game since pitch tracking began in 2008.
He struck out six batters with his splitter and another six with his slider, breaking the rookie World Series strikeout record previously held by Don Newcombe (11 in 1949).
Toronto manager John Schneider could only marvel: “I’m kind of blown away by what he did.”
The only damage the Dodgers managed came from a solo homer by Kiké Hernández in the third. Beyond that, Los Angeles never threatened.
Back-to-Back Blasts Set the Tone
Toronto didn’t wait long to back Yesavage with offense. Davis Schneider, filling in for injured leadoff hitter George Springer, launched the game’s first pitch from Blake Snell into the left-field bleachers. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed two pitches later with a shot into the Dodgers’ bullpen.
It was the first time in World Series history that a team hit back-to-back homers to start a game.
Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, never recovered. He allowed five runs on six hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings, falling to 0-2 in the Series with a 7.71 ERA.
“I don’t want to make excuses, but I think they were ambushing the fastball,” Snell said after the game.
Guerrero Jr. Keeps Raking
Guerrero’s postseason dominance continued, as he tallied his eighth home run and raised his playoff batting average to .415. He now has 15 RBIs in 16 games and is hitting .364 against the Dodgers.
His presence in the lineup has been a constant threat to Los Angeles pitching, while much of the Dodgers’ offensive core continues to underperform.
Dodgers Stuck in Offensive Funk
Manager Dave Roberts tried to spark his slumping lineup by shuffling Mookie Betts into the No. 3 spot and replacing Andy Pages with Alex Call. The moves did little to jumpstart a team batting just .202 in the series.
The Dodgers have scored only four runs in their last 29 innings. Seven of their eight home runs have come with no one on base.
Tommy Edman, a switch-hitter, opted to bat right-handed against Yesavage but went 0-for-3 with a strikeout, popup, and double play.
“He’s super deceptive,” Edman said. “Props to him for coming out in a huge game at Dodger Stadium.”
More Runs and Missed Opportunities
Toronto added a run in the fourth when Daulton Varsho tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ernie Clement. In the seventh, Edgardo Henriquez threw a wild pitch that allowed another run to score before Bo Bichette added an RBI single. Isiah Kiner-Falefa capped the scoring with a run-scoring single in the eighth.
The Dodgers also committed four wild pitches over two innings, adding to their self-inflicted woes.
What’s Next: Game 6 in Toronto
The Blue Jays now return home to Rogers Centre, needing just one win to secure their first World Series championship since 1993. Game 6 is set for Friday night, with right-handers Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) and Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays) returning to the mound in a rematch of Game 2.
Yamamoto was dominant in that game, tossing a complete-game four-hitter — the first World Series complete game since 2015. Gausman allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings in a solid effort.
Still, the momentum clearly belongs to Toronto, who have outscored the Dodgers 12-3 over the past two games and outhit them 20-10.
“We’ve got to make some adjustments,” Roberts admitted. “We’ve been in elimination games before. We’ve got to find a way to win a game. That’s it.”
For the Blue Jays, it’s one more step toward the ultimate prize. For Yesavage, it’s a dream unfolding faster than anyone expected.
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