On Friday, the Toronto Blue Jays were on cloud nine after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series. Not only did they win, but they did so convincingly, 11-4, against the defending champions.
On Saturday, the Blue Jays are looking to take control of the series as they face Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2. Meanwhile, Toronto manager John Schneider already has his strategy in place for who will start Games 3 and 4, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
When the series switches to LA, Max Scherzer will take the mound for Game 3. Meanwhile, Shane Bieber will be the starter for Game 4. In Game 1, Trey Yesavage finished on top, pitching four innings with five strikeouts. Kevin Gausman will take the mound for Game 2.
Scherzer finished the season at 5-5 with an ERA of 5.19 and 82 strikeouts. Meanwhile, Bieber finished with a 4-2 record and an ERA of 3.57 with 30 strikeouts. In Game 7 of the ALCS, Bieber secured five strikeouts as the Blue Jays finished off the Seattle Mariners.
Scherzer pitched in Game 4 and recorded five strikeouts himself in 5.2 innings pitched. Now each will be in a prime position to either keep the series alive or win the World Series outright.
If the latter happens, it will mark the first time that the Blue Jays have won the World Series since 1993.
John Schneider's overall impact on the Blue Jays
In 2019, Schneider was hired as a coach for Toronto. Three years later, he was promoted to the interim manager before becoming the full-time manager.
Since then, Schneider has become known as a manager who prioritizes adaptability and player development.
Plus, he has also cultivated a strong relationship with his players and coaching staff. As a result, Schneider has put the Blue Jays in a position they hadn't been in over 30 years. In the regular season, the Blue Jays finished with a 94-68 record.
