The Dodgers are again within the World Collection for the second straight 12 months and the third time in six years. The Blue Jays haven’t been right here since ending off back-to-back titles in 1993.
When the postseason started, the Blue Jays had been tied for fourth among the many 12 playoff groups based mostly on Wins Above Alternative. The Dodgers had been seventh, based mostly on Division Collection rosters. Now, utilizing projected World Collection rosters, the 2 groups are very evenly matched, with Toronto holding a really slim 48.5 to 48.1 bWAR lead over Los Angeles.
Whereas each group constructs its roster in another way, these two squads have a whole lot of similarities, from smaller quantities of homegrown gamers (and manufacturing from these gamers) to virtually equally counting on free agent signings and commerce acquisitions to assist them get to this stage.
Let’s dig in to what every workforce has achieved in every space of participant procurement.
Dodgers: 6.8 WARBlue Jays: 6.3 WAR
With Bo Bichette seemingly returning to the Jays’ lineup, that provides them a 5-4 edge within the homegrown draftee class. Bichette’s 3.4 WAR from the common season — which leads all of Toronto’s drafted guys — additionally provides them the lead in general homegrown WAR. Trey Yesavage, the workforce’s first-round choose from 2024, has simply six Main League begins on his resume, however three of them have come within the playoffs, together with a vital Recreation 6 win within the ALCS.
However the Dodgers’ 4 draftees had been a contact extra productive in 2025, with 6.8 WAR vs. 6.3 for the Blue Jays. The majority of that comes from Will Smith, who was the No. 32 general choose within the 2016 Draft and amassed 4.5 WAR in ’25. And, in fact, there’s lifetime Dodger Clayton Kershaw, who’s certainly one of two gamers drafted again in 2006 within the World Collection (Max Scherzer is the opposite.)
Blue Jays: 6.8 WARDodgers: 4.1 WAR
Neither workforce has been impacted from a quantity perspective a lot from the worldwide market. The Blue Jays have simply two worldwide signees, however certainly one of them is about as huge because it will get: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who signed for $3.9 million again in July of 2015. He accounts for 4.5 of the workforce’s 6.8 WAR on this class, with Alejandro Kirk offering the opposite 2.3.
The Dodgers’ additionally solely have two entrants right here. Andy Pages, who signed for $300,000 in October 2017, accrued 3.8 WAR in the course of the season. Roki Sasaki created all types of buzz final offseason and the Dodgers scrounged up as a lot worldwide bonus pool cash as doable to signal the Japanese right-hander for $6.5 million. His rookie season was up-and-down and included a stint on the 60-day injured checklist. However he’s turn into the workforce’s nearer this postseason, permitting only one run over seven appearances to solidify what had been a shaky bullpen.
Dodgers: 23 WARBlue Jays: 20 WAR
That is the place issues warmth up. The Dodgers maintain the benefit, each in numbers of gamers (11 vs. 9) and in WAR. The chief is somebody followers may not be all that acquainted with … Shohei Ohtani. He, in fact, joined the Dodgers forward of the 2024 season with a 10-year, $700 million contract ($680 million deferred). However he isn’t alone. His 7.7 WAR was joined by that of Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5.0), who signed a $325 million contract in December 2023; Max Muncy (3.6) joined the Dodgers again in 2017; and Freddie Freeman (3.5), a key signing in March 2022. Blake Snell wasn’t as productive, WAR-wise, in the course of the common season, however the lefty who signed a five-year, $182 million contract final November has been enormous within the postseason.
Not be outdone, the Blue Jays have gotten enormous contributions from free agent signings like George Springer, who signed a six-year, $151 million contract with the workforce forward of the 2021 season. Springer led the workforce in WAR this season (4.8), and hit the largest house run in franchise historical past since Joe Carter. It’d shock some to search out out that Ernie Clement, who signed with Toronto in March of 2023 after the A’s launched him, is subsequent with 4.3 WAR. Kevin Gausman is the highest arm acquired on this market (3.8).
Dodgers: 12.9 WARBlue Jays: 12.2 WAR
Each groups used the commerce market at virtually precisely the identical charge, with the Dodgers having a slim 9-8 benefit players-wise. They usually acquired nearly the identical quantity of manufacturing in the course of the common season: 12.9 WAR for Los Angeles, 12.2 for Toronto.
Mookie Betts is the headliner, coming from the Pink Sox to the Dodgers again in February 2020. On the mound, Tyler Glasnow was acquired from the Rays in December 2023 and has bounced again from shoulder irritation that landed him on the 60-day IL to be part of LA’s lights-out rotation this postseason.
The Blue Jays’ commerce acquisition manufacturing was a bit extra unfold out, with Miles Straw (2.9 WAR), who got here from the Guardians in January of this 12 months, and Daulton Varsho (2.8), who arrived from the D-backs in December of 2022, main the way in which.
