After one of the most extraordinary games we’ve seen on the World Series stage — an 18-inning war of attrition that wound up a heartbreaking defeat for the Toronto Blue Jays — they go again.
It’s been a back-and-forth battle between the Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers through three meetings, with standout performances from both clubs. Now comes a crucial Game 4 back at Dodger Stadium, as the Jays look to pull level in the series once more.
How we got here
Game 3 was a whirlwind. So tense was the run through extras, which seemed inches from ending at times and seemingly endless at others, that it’s easy to lose sight of all the history that was made on the night.
A refresher: The Blue Jays and Dodgers combined to match the longest game in World Series history before Freddie Freeman ended it in the bottom of the 18th. The clubs combined to set World Series records for the most pitchers used (19), most pitches thrown (609), most combined plate appearances (153), and most runners left on base (37). In all, Toronto used a franchise-record 23 players in the 6-5 loss.
Then there was all Shohei Ohtani mustered during the lengthy stalemate — the Dodgers phenom tied a 119-year-old major league record with four extra-base hits in Game 3, homering twice, and tied another by reaching base nine times on the night, becoming the first player in post-season history to be intentionally walked four times in a game.
For Toronto, what will surely sting more than the loss — or Ohtani’s heroics — is the injury that took George Springer out of the game before the extra-inning theatrics.
What’s at stake
After three wild outings and one of the wildest games the sport has ever seen, Toronto must now reset and turn its attention to a pivotal Game 4 that could either level the scales or tilt the series heavily against them.
Win Tuesday night, and Toronto earns a chance to return to Dodger Stadium in Game 5 on Wednesday knotted up at 2-2, the opportunity to head home with a series lead still on the table.
Lose on Tuesday, and the Blue Jays will be forced to wade into that Dodger Stadium finale down 3-1 in the series, all the pressure on their shoulders, all the odds stacked against them.
Tuesday’s pitching matchup was nearly thrown into disarray by the Monday-night madness, with John Schneider contemplating throwing his Game 4 starter into the extra-innings mix, and some wondering if Dave Roberts might consider the same.
But the plan remains intact — Shane Bieber will get the ball for the Jays after starting Game 3 in both the ALDS and ALCS, and Game 7 of the latter series, his best showing so far coming in Game 3 against Seattle. Through 12.1 innings, the 30-year-old has managed a 1-0 record and 4.38 ERA, with 15 strikeouts and three walks.
On the other side? It’ll be Ohtani taking the mound, pitching for the first time on the World Series stage after already giving Toronto plenty of trouble on the other side of the ball. In his last start, Game 4 of the NLCS against Milwaukee, he struck out 10 Brewers and hit three homers in the series-ender. So, safe to say Toronto will have its hands full.
Bullpen report
A stretch of three games in as many days meant managing the bullpen was always going to be key. Monday’s historically long Game 3, which saw Schneider run through every reliever he had in blue and white, only complicates things further.
Eric Lauer saw the most work Monday, stepping up and throwing 68 pitches through 4.2 innings during those tense extras, while Jeff Hoffman threw 33. But the bullpen is in better shape than it could’ve been after such a lengthy test, given Mason Fluharty, Louis Varland, Chris Bassitt and Braydon Fisher all threw 20 pitches or fewer. Still, the club will surely be hoping Bieber can give them five or six innings of quality on Tuesday before they have to turn to the group.
Key lineup decision: How do Springer’s injury issues impact the lineup?
“Right-side discomfort,” as Schneider put it, forced Springer out of Game 3 in the seventh inning. The 36-year-old has been playing through a knee contusion suffered during the ALCS as well, but has yet to miss a game. Whether he’s able to continue battling through those issues and suit up for Game 4 remains the biggest question mark heading into the meeting.
Should he be forced to sit, the Blue Jays would have the opportunity to move Bo Bichette — who’s navigating his own return from injury — to DH, and start Isiah Kiner-Falefa at second base. But trying to take down these Dodgers without Springer’s bat would seem a daunting task. If he does play, the key question will be how much the veteran has left to give as he navigates his myriad injury issues.
Storyline to watch: Can the Blue Jays get to Ohtani early?
Through three games, Ohtani has wreaked havoc on the Blue Jays with his bat. Now, they’ll have to contend with his arm, too.
If No. 17’s last start was any indication, keeping him at bay won’t get any easier with his workload doubling — Ohtani’s last outing on the mound saw him put forth what very well might be the greatest performance in the sport’s history, and he’s fresh off making more history on Monday night, too.
There’s only so much that can be done against the game’s most prolific talent; the goal is more containment than full-on shutdown. But with a crucial chance to equalize on the table, finding a way to get to Ohtani early on Tuesday, as the Blue Jays did against Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, will be pivotal.
