The Los Angeles Dodgers are now in great danger of failing to complete their mission to become back-to-back World Series champions following a 6-1 loss in Game 5 of the 2025 World Series to the Toronto Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday evening. Los Angeles was left befuddled by the incredible pitching performance of 22-year-old right-hander Trey Yesavage.
Los Angeles' bats fell silent in the face of the young Blue Jays pitcher, who further exposed the offensive struggles of the Dodgers of late in the World Series. Since LA outlasted the Blue Jays in an epic, 18-inning marathon win in Game 3, the Dodgers have been outscored by Toronto, 12-3. The Dodgers went 6-for-31 with seven strikeouts in Game 4 and were even worse in Game 5, where they hit 4-for-30 with 15 strikeouts.
In the same game, the Dodgers' MVP triumvirate of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman Jr. combined for just 0-for-11 with six punchouts.
“I don't want to speak on anybody else. But for me personally, I've just been terrible, been terrible, said Betts of his struggles (via Michael J. Duarte of NBC LA).
The 2018 American League Most Valuable Player slid down to the third spot in LA's batting order in Game 5, but was 1-for-8 with two strikeouts over the last two games.
“I wish it was from lack of effort. I really do, but it's not, so I don't have any answers.”
The good news for Betts and the Dodgers is that they're still alive in the series, with at least one more game to play.
After Blake Snell's frustrating mound duty in Game 5, Los Angeles is expected to give the ball to Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 6 this coming Friday.
Yamamoto was brilliant in Game 2, tossing a one-run complete game while striking out 12 Blue Jays batters to help the Dodgers score a 5-1 victory at Rogers Centre in Toronto.
It remains to be seen how well Yamamoto will perform on the mound after his workload in his most recent appearance, but in any case, Betts and the rest of Los Angeles' offense need to wake up if the Dodgers are to win Game 6 and force a winner-take-all Game 7.
