World Series Game 1: Dodgers vs. Blue Jays Starting Pitchers Announced

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays have revealed their starting pitchers for the first game of the World Series. Blake Snell will be on the mound for the Dodgers, while the Blue Jays will give rookie Trey Yesavage his first start. The game is set for Friday at 8 PM ET at Rogers Center in Toronto.

Funny enough, both Snell, with two Cy Young Awards, and Yesavage, who had a solid three regular season wins, come into this matchup with quite the backstory.

Yesavage debuted in the major leagues on September 15. In such a short time, he’s quickly established himself as an important asset in Toronto’s rotation. It’s interesting to note that the 22-year-old will have more postseason starts—four—than regular season starts when he steps up this Friday.

During the postseason, Yesavage has a 2-1 record and an ERA of 4.20. Notably, he struck out 11 batters and pitched over five innings in a no-hitter during Game 2 of the Division Series against the New York Yankees. He did face some struggles in the AL Championship Series but bounced back well.

What’s particularly challenging for Yesavage is facing a Dodgers lineup filled with all-stars and previous MVPs. It’s quite a tall order.

As for Snell, he had a limited season with only 11 starts, totaling just over 61 innings, yet he managed to rack up 5 wins and a solid ERA of 2.35. It’s not the most extensive track record but certainly impressive. In the postseason, he’s taken it up a notch, securing a record of 3-0 with a remarkable 0.86 ERA across 21 innings. He’s familiar with the Blue Jays from his time with the Tampa Bay Rays, adding another layer to this matchup.

In his career against Toronto, where he’s pitched 79 innings, Snell holds a record of 5-4 and an ERA of 2.39. It’s certainly going to be an intriguing game to watch, with both pitchers facing significant pressure.