The 2025 World Series has shifted to Dodger Stadium, and the Blue Jays will be looking to reclaim the series lead after a stellar performance from L.A. starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2.

The Blue Jays are turning to their only starting pitcher with the World Series experience entering this postseason in 41-year-old Max Scherzer. While the biggest question surrounding the game is, “Will the Blue Jays win tonight?“, the second biggest question is arguably, “What does Max Scherzer yell at John Schneider when he goes to take the ball from him tonight?”

Tonight will mark Scherzer’s second start this postseason. He pitched 5 2/3 frames against the Mariners in Game 4 of the ALCS, allowing three hits, two earned runs, four walks, and five strikeouts. While Scherzer failed to record a three-up-three-down inning, he did a great job stranding three baserunners, as well as inducing an inning-ending double play and picking off a runner at first. He generated six whiffs on his curveball, while also getting four whiffs on his four-seamer that reached as high as 96.5 mph.

Scherzer has appeared in four career World Series games entering tonight, with his first coming in 2012 with the Tigers and his most recent outing coming in 2023 with the Texas Rangers. In those starts, Scherzer has compiled a 3.26 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and an 8.8 K/9 across 19 1/3 innings.

Mad Max faced the Dodgers earlier this season in a matchup against fellow vet Clayton Kershaw. He churned out a solid start, going six innings and allowing just two earned runs with five strikeouts. Despite allowing six hits and three walks throughout his start, he was able to stay out of the “big inning”, however, he allowed a two-run home run to Mookie Betts in the fifth inning that would wind up putting Scherzer in the loss column.

Given Scherzer’s time in the National League and his overall MLB tenure in general, he has accumulated plenty of experience against multiple Dodgers bats. Among them, Freddie Freeman has logged 11 hits and three homers in 55 at-bats, Miguel Rojas has nine hits and three doubles in 37 at-bats, and Max Muncy has four hits with a home run in 20 at-bats. Tommy Edman (6-for-16, HR, 2B) and Betts (3-for-10, HR, 2B) have also found success against him in smaller sample sizes.

Scherzer will be opposed by Tyler Glasnow, a familiar face to a few Toronto hitters from Glasnow’s time in Tampa Bay. Glasnow has been stellar through his three playoff outings to this point, allowing just seven hits and one earned run through 13 1/3 innings. This month has consisted of his first playoff stretch with the Dodgers after missing the end of last season with right elbow tendinitis.

The Blue Jays saw Glasnow back in the August clash between these two teams. He racked up a no-decision after allowing four hits, two earned runs, four walks, and eight strikeouts through five and 2/3 innings. He sandwiched four scoreless innings in between run-producing hits from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Ty France, with the latter’s hit ending Glasnow’s day.

Guerrero (6-for-17, HR, 2 2B) and George Springer (6-for-13, HR) have been very good against Glasnow for their careers. Bo Bichette, who is back in the starting lineup tonight, has only two hits against Glasnow for his career, but one of them came in their August meeting.

Location: Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles, CA

First Pitch: 8:00 PM EST

Watch/Listen: FOX, Sportsnet / ESPN Radio, Sportsnet 590 The Fan

Toronto Blue Jays – Max Scherzer: 1-0 record, 3.18 ERA, 5 2/3 IP, 5 SO, 4 BB

Los Angeles Dodgers – Tyler Glasnow: 0-0 record, 0.68 ERA, 13 1/3 IP, 18 SO, 8 BB