Honestly, if you’re a baseball fan, you’re probably still recovering from November 1. That Game 7 was basically a fever dream. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays didn't just play a series; they staged a cross-border war that ended with Yoshinobu Yamamoto cementing his legend and the Blue Jays left wondering what "almost" feels like after 32 years of waiting.
Now we’re sitting in January 2026. The dust hasn't even settled. Yet, the baseball world is obsessed with the next time these two meet.
The Game 7 Heartbreak That Still Stings in Toronto
You remember how it ended. Rogers Centre was shaking. The Blue Jays had home-field advantage and a 3-2 series lead going back to Toronto. It felt like destiny. Then, the Dodgers did what the Dodgers do—they became the "final boss" of Major League Baseball.
Yamamoto was surgical. He took the mound in Game 7 on short rest and basically told the best offense in the American League to sit down. He finished the series with three wins and a 1.02 ERA. That’s not just good; it’s historically dominant. Toronto fans had to watch the Dodgers celebrate their second consecutive title on Canadian soil. It was the first time since the 2000 Yankees that we’ve seen a back-to-back champion.
What most people get wrong about that 18-inning marathon
People keep talking about the final score of Game 7, but the real soul of that series was Game 3 at Dodger Stadium. 18 innings. Six hours and thirty-nine minutes. It was the second-longest game in World Series history.
Shohei Ohtani was out there doing things that shouldn't be legal. He reached base nine times in a single game. Nine. He was intentionally walked four times because John Schneider basically decided he’d rather give up a run than let Ohtani swing the bat. But the hero was Freddie Freeman, who hit a walk-off home run for the second World Series in a row.
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If you think the Blue Jays were "lucky" to be there, you're wrong. They won 94 games. They had the ALCS MVP in Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who looked like he was playing video games for most of October. The gap between these two teams was a razor-thin margin of error that the Dodgers managed to exploit by having, well, more stars.
The Kyle Tucker Theft: Adding Fuel to the 2026 Fire
If the loss wasn't enough, the 2026 offseason just poured salt in the wound. The Blue Jays desperately needed a left-handed power bat to get over the hump. They went all-in on Kyle Tucker.
And then the Dodgers happened.
On January 15, 2026, the Dodgers signed Tucker to a four-year, $240 million deal. Toronto fans are livid. It’s one thing to lose a Game 7; it’s another to have the team that beat you steal your top free-agent target two months later.
The Dodgers' projected 2026 lineup is getting ridiculous:
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- Mookie Betts
- Shohei Ohtani
- Freddie Freeman
- Kyle Tucker
- Teoscar Hernández
- Will Smith
It’s basically an All-Star roster masquerading as a club team. Some critics on Reddit are calling them "old," pointing out that Glasnow is 32 and Freeman is 36, but when you’re winning back-to-back rings, age is just a number on a massive paycheck.
Why the Blue Jays aren't going away
Don't count out Toronto. Losing Bo Bichette to free agency this winter was a massive blow, but the core is still there.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in his prime. Kevin Gausman is still one of the most frustrating pitchers to face when his splitter is moving. The Blue Jays proved they could push the "Evil Empire" to the brink. They outscored the Dodgers 11-4 in Game 1 of the World Series. They know how to beat them; they just didn't know how to finish them.
The 2026 season schedule is going to be circled in red for every person in Ontario. When the Dodgers fly into Toronto for their regular-season matchups, expect a playoff atmosphere. The "Dodgers v. Blue Jays" rivalry is no longer a random interleague curiosity. It’s the heavyweight fight of the decade.
Key Stats from the 2025 World Series
- Total Attendance: Over 330,000 fans across seven games.
- Viewership: Game 7 pulled 51 million viewers globally.
- Home Runs: Shohei Ohtani and Daulton Varsho both traded blows in the opener.
- Pitching: The Dodgers used 73 innings of pitching in seven games—a new record.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking at the 2026 season and wondering how this rivalry develops, keep an eye on these three things.
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1. Watch the Dodgers' Pitching Health
They are buying "ceiling," not "floor." If Tyler Glasnow or Yamamoto miss significant time, the rotation starts looking thin very quickly. They’ve traded away a lot of depth to keep this star-studded roster together.
2. Toronto’s Response to the Tucker "Snub"
The Blue Jays have a hole in the outfield and a hole at shortstop now that Bichette is gone. How they pivot in the next few weeks will determine if they are still World Series contenders or if 2025 was their one "shot."
3. The Ohtani Pitching Workload
In Game 7, Ohtani looked gassed. He went 2.1 innings and gave up three runs. Dave Roberts was criticized heavily for leaving him in too long. In 2026, the Dodgers have to decide if Ohtani is a 6-inning starter or a high-leverage weapon.
The Dodgers v. Blue Jays saga isn't over. It’s just moving into its next chapter. Whether you love the Dodgers' "cheat code" approach or you’re rooting for the Blue Jays to finally break the curse, 2026 is going to be defined by these two teams.
Get your tickets early. Rogers Centre is going to be loud.
Next Steps for 2026 Planning:
- Check the official MLB 2026 schedule for the first Dodgers-Blue Jays series.
- Monitor the Blue Jays' remaining free-agent signings to see how they replace Bo Bichette's production.
- Review Yoshinobu Yamamoto's spring training velocity to see if his 2025 workload caused any drop-off.