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All the current Blue Jays-Dodgers player and coach connections
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Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Ian Hunter
Oct 24, 2025, 17:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 24, 2025, 15:22 EDT
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In many ways, the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers could not be more opposite. Plenty have already made the David versus Goliath comparison. Both teams took vastly different paths to reach the World Series, but it may not be as lopsided as some are predicting.
From a storyline perspective, there are the sagas of Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki, two players who preferred the bright lights of Los Angeles instead of playing in Toronto. But aside from that, there are some other Blue Jays-Dodgers through lines that will be evident in this World Series matchup.

Teoscar Hernandez

The strongest position player tie between the Dodgers and Blue Jays is Mr. Seeds: Teoscar Hernandez. He played five years in Toronto from 2017 to 2022, spent a few years with the Seattle Mariners, before signing a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
After winning a World Series last year, Hernandez re-upped with the Dodgers on a three-year deal, although the Blue Jays reportedly were in the running to bring him back to Toronto. Now, the two find themselves playing in the Fall Classic.

Max Scherzer

It was only half a season, but yes, Max Scherzer suited up in Dodger blue in the second half of the 2021 campaign. Mad Max made his last postseason appearance as a reliever during his time with the Dodgers, when he closed out Game 5 of the 2021 NLDS against the San Francisco Giants. He’s likely to be used as a starter by the Blue Jays in the World Series.

Buddy Kennedy and Jose Urena

No matter what happens in the World Series, Buddy Kennedy and Jose Urena are the only two players who are guaranteed to receive a World Series ring. Kennedy played for the Blue Jays for only two games in early August, was DFA’d, then was picked up by the Dodgers and then played the next seven games with them.
Urena was an early-season depth piece for the Blue Jays, and his tenure in Toronto wasn’t long, either. After being released by the Blue Jays in early June, he caught on with the Dodgers, only to be released by them 10 days later. Urena played for five teams in 2025, the others being the Mets, Twins and Angels.

Braydon Fisher

In one of the most underrated Blue Jays trades of the last few years, the team acquired Braydon Fisher in exchange for Cavan Biggio last year. Fisher had never pitched above triple-A during his time in the Dodgers organization, but he had an impactful rookie campaign with the Blue Jays here in 2025.
Fisher was named Blue Jays Nation’s Rookie and Reliever of the Year.

Justin Bruihl

The Blue Jays didn’t name Justin Bruihl to their ALCS or World Series roster, but they selected him for the ALDS squad, which was somewhat of a surprise. Bruihl was signed to a minor league deal earlier this year by the Blue Jays and pitched in 15 games at various points throughout the regular season.
He was originally signed by the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and spent six years in that organization before the Colorado Rockies picked him up off waivers in August 2023.

Yimi Garcia

Yimi Garcia is a big missing piece at the back end of the Blue Jays’ bullpen this postseason, but hopefully, he’ll be ready to go for spring training in February. After all, he is signed to a two-year deal with the Blue Jays, despite only seeing work in 22 games this year.
It’s easy to forget he’s an 11-year veteran at this point in his career, and like Bruihl, signed as an unsigned free agent with the Dodgers. Although he briefly started his career as a starting pitcher, the Dodgers wasted no time in converting him into a relief pitcher, and Garcia never looked back.

Anthony Banda

If you want a really deep cut on fringe roster guys on the Blue Jays in 2022, impress your friends by mentioning the name Anthony Banda. For seven beautiful games, the bespectacled reliever called Toronto home. The Blue Jays traded for Banda from the Pirates in early July 2022, then traded him to the Yankees just over one month later.
As guys like Jeff Hoffman can attest, it can take a long time for relief pitchers to carve out a role and find their calling with a team. After a long and winding road, Banda has been a staple in the Dodgers’ bullpen for the last two seasons. This year, Banda made 71 appearances for LA, the most of any reliever on their team.

David Popkins

It’s a faint Blue Jays-Dodgers connection, but current Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins had an ever-so-brief stint with the Dodgers organization in 2019. He signed as a player-coach to teach hitting to the Dodgers’ Arizona Complex League affiliate team, then was promoted to the hitting coach of the high-A Great Lakes Loons in 2021.

Don Mattingly

It’s wild that this year will be Don Mattingly’s first World Series, despite playing for 14 years and coaching for more than 30 years. Although he was a lifetime Yankee during his playing days, Donny Baseball cut his teeth coaching as the hitting coach for the Dodgers.
Eventually, he was promoted to the manager role, where he managed the Dodgers for five years, winning three consecutive NL West Division titles from 2013 to 2015. Now as the bench coach for the Blue Jays, Mattingly is tasting his first experience of the World Series. Drink it all in, Donnie, drink it all in.

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