TORONTO — Just four victories separate the Dodgers from conversations about a potential dynasty.
There’s definitely something significant about a team carrying the aspirations of a whole nation.
As they return to the World Series for the fifth time in a decade, the Dodgers will take on the Blue Jays at Rogers Center on Friday night. They’re aiming for their third title in six years, chasing the elusive back-to-back championships last achieved by the Yankees between 1998 and 2000.
“It’s a different challenge to win and then come back, with the target on your back,” Mookie Betts noted on Thursday. “But it’s fun in its own way. There’s a certain mindset to it, one that many of us Dodgers have come to embrace. I think that’s part of what we enjoy most.”
After defeating the Yankees in last year’s World Series, the team invested nearly $500 million to enhance their roster, raising expectations even further, but they’ve managed to navigate the pressure reasonably well so far.
“We didn’t perform at our best during the regular season, but we always knew that when October arrived, that was what truly mattered,” said Quique Hernandez, a key player known to elevate his game in the postseason, regardless of the regular season’s outcome.
The Blue Jays, boasting the fifth-highest salary in baseball (though still over $100 million less than the Dodgers), might not fit the typical underdog mold, but they’re certainly up against a giant.
“One thing we can’t do is look across and see that team as Goliath,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “Yes, they have strengths, but they also have weaknesses. How both teams play to those factors will ultimately decide the series, and I have complete faith in my team.”
This matchup features the Dodgers’ strong pitching against the Blue Jays’ potent batting lineup. The Blue Jays have recorded the lowest strikeout rate in baseball (17.8%), while the Dodgers’ pitching lineup is noted for its high strikeout rate (24.8%). This series also represents the Blue Jays’ first World Series appearance since 1993.
Overall, the Dodgers claim they haven’t spent much time contemplating what another championship would mean historically. But as they’ve progressed—defeating the Reds in the Wild Card Series, then the Phillies in the NLDS, and the Brewers in the NLCS—the buzz around them has grown.
“Just being here this past week, people are starting to use the word dynasty,” Freeman remarked. “That they’re even saying it reflects how well the organization is doing. Being in this position is tough, but to win and possibly achieve back-to-back titles is incredible.”
Before the Yankees’ run, the last team to secure consecutive titles was the 1992 and 1993 Blue Jays, leading to Friday’s matchup.
“The fact that we haven’t clinched a championship makes this even more special,” said Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, a former Yankee now with the Blue Jays. “Offering something they don’t have plays a big role in our success. Winning the ALCS sparked excitement… before, the championship drought felt daunting. Now that we’re in the Fall Classic, things feel revitalized, and that’s great for our country.”
Following their sweep of the NLCS, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts playfully suggested that they were just four wins away from “ruining baseball,” a jab at critics who say their hefty spending has harmed the sport. Still, a high payroll only secures so much.
“I’ve already answered the ‘Dynasty’ question quite a few times, and I feel grateful to contribute to a culture that more people are beginning to recognize and want to join,” third baseman Max Muncy shared. “That’s a kind of dynasty in itself—the culture here with the Dodgers, where it’s all about winning. It’s about improving, finding ways to help the team, or making sacrifices for a teammate. It all starts with players like [Clayton] Kershaw.”
“That’s not something money can buy.”
