The 2025 MLB postseason has been electric, and it has culminated in a World Series showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays. It truly is a battle of the “world,” as both teams are littered with superstars from all over planet Earth, and the two teams even play their home games in different countries.
Just a year ago, it was rumored that the Blue Jays might blow things up. Instead, they are playing on the biggest baseball stage in the world with a roster full of talent. The defending champion Dodgers are, of course, known for their seemingly unlimited payroll, and it has led to a roster stacked with big-name megastars. With that said, check out the gallery to see the 15 best players playing in the Fall Classic.
15. Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers, CF
On a team full of big-name power hitters, it was Andy Pages who ranked second on the Dodgers in home runs (27). The center fielder has struggled somewhat in the postseason, though, largely because he doesn't have great plate discipline. Pages had just 29 walks to 135 strikeouts in the regular season. He is responsible for the hit that brought in the game-winning run against the Philadelphia Phillies to advance to the NLCS, though.
14. Addison Barger, Toronto Blue Jays, LF
Addison Barger made his debut just last season, and he quickly broke out to become a key player this year for Toronto. Barger had 21 home runs in the regular season, and he has the versatility to play in the infield or outfield. With Bo Bichette coming back into the fold, the Blue Jays will have some interesting lineup choices to make, but Barger's bat needs to be in the lineup.
13. Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays, 3B
In the same way that Tommy Edman was the Dodgers' postseason darling during their championship run last year, the somewhat unheralded Ernie Clement has stepped up to become a playoff superstar for the Blue Jays this year. Clement is batting .429 in the postseason, a mark that only trails two players.
One player is Aaron Judge, one of the clear-cut best players in baseball, and the other one is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — more on him later. Clement is a versatile and impressive defender, too. He is clearly on a hot streak, but will that streak continue against the best pitching staff in baseball?
12. Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays, SP
While it is the Dodgers who are known for their starting pitching unit, the Blue Jays have a pretty good ace, too. Kevin Gausman doesn't have the nasty stuff to blow by batters, but he is consistent at throwing strikes and commanding his pitches. After throwing in relief in Game 7 of the ALCS, Gausman won't start Game 1 against LA. However, he will still be a massive part of the rotation throughout.
11. Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles Dodgers, SP
The Dodgers have the luxury of having such a deep pitching staff that they can comfortably roll out four starters in the postseason. Tyler Glasnow may be considered number four in that unit, but he'd be an ace on a number of teams around the league. Glasnow has a 0.68 ERA in the postseason through three games, two of which he started. He can come out of the bullpen if need be, too
When the Dodgers won the World Series last year, they did it with a somewhat weak starting unit, which forced the relievers to carry the burden. This postseason is different, as four starting pitchers can hurl deep into ball games for Los Angeles.
10. Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays, C
Alejandro Kirk just slightly trails the Dodgers' catcher among the best players in the World Series. Still, he has had some big moments on offense this postseason, and he is highly regarded for his pitch framing and ability as a backstop.
9. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers, C
Will Smith is one of the best catchers in baseball, which is why he is inked to a deal that runs through 2033. He just narrowly gets the edge over Kirk here. Smith has a .901 OPS, he lingers around 20 homers every season, and he was close to surpassing a .300 batting average this year. Those metrics are all spectacular at a physically demanding position like catcher.
Had Cal Raleigh not just had arguably the best catcher season ever, there would have been a lot more talk about how good both Kirk and Smith were this season. These World Series teams are showing just how important having a hitting catcher is, and teams that didn't make the World Series will surely try to play copycat going forward.
8. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers, SS
Mookie Betts doesn't have the elite power he had during his prime, but he is still one of the best MLB players out there. He proved himself in the World Series last year, and he will likely do so again this year. Betts' career progression has been interesting, as he has moved to shortstop from the outfield late in his career. Usually the opposite transition would be more likely. That just goes to show the all-around ball player that Betts is.
While the numbers aren't as gaudy as they once were for Betts, he still had the second-best WAR during the regular season among Dodgers position players.
7. Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays, SS
Bo Bichette has missed the entirety of the postseason so far, and the Blue Jays have thrived without him. Rust and changing what is working is a concern, but considering reports suggest that Bichette will be good to go in the World Series, he is too good not to reinsert into the lineup.
After all, Bichette was leading the American League in hits before his late-season injury. With a .311 batting average this year, Bichette is just the type of player who could provide the reinforcements that gets the Blue Jays over the top. Only time will tell of he rejoins the team with a head of steam or if it will take some time to get his legs under him.
6. Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1B
Freddie Freeman has nine All-Star nods and an MVP to his name. The 36-year-old is still going strong, too. Nobody would be surprised if Freeman won the World Series MVP for the second straight season. He had a World Series record 12 RBIs last year, which included home runs in four straight games and a walk-off grand slam.
5. Blake Snell, Los Angeles Dodgers, SP
When Blake Snell is on, he is one of the most unstoppable pitchers in baseball. While long-term consistency has often eluded Snell, he does have two Cy Youngs to his name, and he is playing some of his best baseball right now. Snell missed much of the 2025 season, but he has a 0.86 ERA in the postseason.
Snell's velocity is cranked up, and his breaking balls have tons of moment. His command isn't always there, but it is right now, which makes him nearly impossible to get hits off of.
4. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers, SP
Snell, Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani have garnered a lot of attention and praise for their abilities on the mound during the postseason, but it was Yoshinobu Yamamoto who kept the Dodgers and their pitching staff afloat during the regular season when the unit as a whole was injury riddled and struggling.
Yamamoto had 30 starts and pitched to a 2.49 ERA en route to an All-Star nod. He didn't have a great rookie season, but he lived up to the hype in year two.
3. George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays, DH
George Springer has brought the championship pedigree he earned with the Houston Astros to Toronto. Springer has always been a great power hitter, but he brought his contact ability to new heights this season. His .309 batting average and .399 on-base percentage were career highs by a large margin.
Springer had 32 home runs in the regular season, too, and he has already belted four over the fence in the postseason. His three-run home run in Game 7 of the ALCS was a highlight in a career full of big moments.
2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays, 1B
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a really good regular season after being paid handsomely. He has somehow gotten much, much better in the playoffs. The best postseason performer in baseball this year has a batting average of .442, six home runs, and 12 RBIs. He is getting on base 51% of the time through 11 games. Guerrero won the ALCS MVP, and he has shown no signs of slowing down.
1. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers, SP/DH
Shohei Ohtani is not only the best player in baseball, but he is quickly establishing himself as one of the best players in MLB history. It is well known that what Ohtani does as a two-way player is unprecedented, but there is no stat line that better showcases the kind of player Ohtani is than his NLCS Game 4 performance.
Ohtani started on the bump and struck out 10 batters in six scoreless innings. He also went 3-for-3 with three home runs as a batter. Ohtani won the NLCS MVP after what was one of the greatest performances in MLB history. The only member of the 50 home run-50 stolen bases club will likely win the NL MVP yet again, too.
