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Instant Reaction: Blue Jays drop heartbreaking 18-inning marathon in Game 3 of World Series
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Photo credit: © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Oct 28, 2025, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 28, 2025, 04:11 EDT
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Despite the loss, that was a hell of a game.
On Monday evening (and Tuesday morning), the Toronto Blue Jays fell 6-5 to the Los Angeles Dodgers, dropping to 2-1 in the series. Let’s take a look at what went on in this one.
For the third time in the series, the Dodgers took the lead as Teoscar Hernández hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second. In the following inning, Shohei Ohtani hit another solo home run to put the Dodgers up 2-0.
With runners on the corners with an out in the top of the fourth, the Blue Jays took the lead with one swing of the bat, as Alejandro Kirk hit his fifth home run of the season. The Jays put a couple more runners on in the inning, and with runners on the corners with one out, Andrés Giménez hit a sacrifice fly.
Their lead didn’t last too long, as the Dodgers managed to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. With a runner on first, Ohtani hit a double to cut the Jays’ lead to one, and Freddie Freeman drove in Ohtani with a single.
In the top of the seventh, the Jays re-took the lead, as Bo Bichette hit a single down the line that cashed in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. from first. That lead didn’t last long either, as Ohtani hit his second home run of the game on a middle-middle pitch.
Those 10 runs were all the two teams scored through the first nine innings, as the game needed extra innings. And by this game needing extra innings, I mean it really needed extra innings, as it took until Freddie Freeman’s at-bat in the 18th inning to end the game, as the Canadian first baseman walked it off for the Dodgers.

Takeaways…

There are many takeaways from this marathon of a game. Making it to the 18th inning, this game matches the longest game in World Series history, which came in Dodger Stadium in 2018. The Dodgers also walked off that game, but they ended up losing the series. Hopefully, the same fate befalls them in this series.
In the end, this game went on for six hours and 39 minutes, also the second-longest game in World Series history. The game in the 2018 World Series went seven hours and 20 minutes, but that was before the pitch clock was introduced.
After 18 innings, the Blue Jays finished 2-12 with runners in scoring position, leaving 19 runners on. The Dodgers didn’t fare much better, going 2-14 with runners in scoring position with 18 stranded runners.
Some of those stranded runners hurt more than others. Shortly before Freeman’s home run, the Jays batted in the top of the 18th, getting runners on second and third with two outs. The batter, Tyler Heineman, had a 3-1 count at one point, but struck out swinging. What’s painful about this is that the Jays only had a handful of base runners in the preceding five innings.
Their best chance to score in extra innings was in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded, a 3-2 count, and nowhere to put Nathan Lukes, the outfield swung at three consecutive balls, grounding out to end the inning. Had he taken one of those pitches, the Jays would’ve been up 6-5 with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. up at the plate with the bases loaded.
Two innings before the 12th, the Jays had another good opportunity to score. Lukes lined a ball into right field, but Davis Schneider was thrown out trying to score a run. Had he been held, the Dodgers likely would’ve intentionally walked Guerrero Jr. to load the bases for Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Speaking of Kiner-Falefa, he drew a walk in his first plate appearance. Daulton Varsho then hit a single, but Kiner-Falefa proceeded to get thrown out trying to advance to third. It hurts even more because Alejandro Kirk drew a walk before Myles Straw grounded out to end the top of the ninth.
I’ve mentioned a lot of bench players in this article, and that’s because the Jays’ bench was poorly managed. George Springer left the game with an injury in the seventh, bringing in Ty France, who was eventually replaced with Schneider as a pinch runner. Those two moves made sense.
After Bichette hit his RBI single to give the Jays a 5-4 lead, he was lifted for Kiner-Falefa as the pinch runner. This one was less than ideal, but Bichette is working his way back from a knee injury. Kirk was pinch-hit for Heineman after reaching base in extra innings, taking away another dangerous hitter.
All three of those moves are excusable given context, but there was absolutely no reason Addison Barger should’ve been pulled after reaching base in the top of the eighth. Barger was replaced by Straw, but Barger is not a poor runner, and Straw didn’t come into score. This is up there with the Game 5 decision in the American League Championship Series.
By the end of the game, the Jays’ lineup looked like this: Schneider, Lukes, Guerrero Jr., Kiner-Falefa, Varsho, Heineman, Straw, Ernie Clement, and Andrés Giménez. Their best hitters were spread out way too far; no wonder they lost.
As noted previously, Springer left this game after taking a mighty cut in the seventh inning. After the game, it was reported he was removed with right side discomfort, with the team awaiting results. He’s currently listed as day-to-day.
Another poor decision in this game was pitching to Shohei Ohtani in the bottom of the seventh. With Seranthony Domínguez on the mound and one out, the Blue Jays’ reliever threw a middle-middle fastball to the best player of all time, with Ohtani hitting it out for his second home run of the game. With that home run, he had two doubles and two home runs. Ohtani was walked in his next five plate appearances, but he should’ve been walked here as well.
In what could be his last start of his illustrious Hall of Fame career, Max Scherzer went four and one-third innings, giving up three earned runs, a walk, and striking out three. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t quite Vintage Max Scherzer like the team needed.
The only reason the game went on for as long as it did was thanks to the Blue Jays’ bullpen, especially after Domínguez blew the save. Chris Bassitt struck out a batter in his inning of work, Jeff Hoffman pitched two clean innings, Braydon Fisher struck out two in his inning and a third, and Eric Lauer went four and two-thirds without giving up a run.
Even Brendon Little was solid. Yeah, he gave up the game-winning home run, but he looked solid in the first inning, striking out a batter and getting out of a jam. Louis Varland (shockingly) appeared in another game, going an inning and a third and striking out two. Mason Fluharty pitched a third of an inning as well.
With all of the Blue Jays’ relievers being used in this game, Shane Bieber needs to have the game of his life on Tuesday. Game 4 starts at 8:00 PM ET, and starting for the Dodgers is Shohei Ohtani. The Jays have to find a way to win this game.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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