Blue Jays put Dodgers on notice with stunning11-4 win in WS Game 1
Underdog Jays take early series lead throwing up nine-spot in the sixth
It was an opening game that did not stick to the script. The two major Blue Jays storylines heading into Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers were expected to centre around the return of Bo Bichette to the active roster and the starting lineup and the charisma of 22-year-old righthander Trey Yesavage, becoming the second youngest Game 1 starting pitcher in Fall Classic history, second only to Ralph Branca of the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers. But it turns out that the projected protagonists of the piece, Bichette and Yesavage, were each out of the game by the sixth inning just as the offensive fireworks were beginning. However the replacements, the new storylines in the Jays come-from-behind 11-4 victory were just as compelling. It’s a team sport.
Starting the bottom of the sixth inning in a 2-2 tie, the Jays revised Game 1 story became the depth of the roster and its relentless, put-the-ball-in-play and grind at-bats offence. They were the home team, the underdog, David to the Dodgers’ Goliath. But the Jays opened the eyes of the baseball world and dropped the jaws of many who thought this would be a Dodger walkover, cashing nine runs in the sixth, against three Philistine hurlers, to open up an 11-2 lead, changing the remainder of the game from bullpen high leverage to simply counting Dodger outs to the finish line.
Two innings earlier, back in the fourth, facing the dominant lefty starter, Blake Snell, it was Daulton Varsho’s blast off the back wall of the batter’s eye in centre field that tied the game at two. Then came the nine-run sixth, highlighted by the first ever World Series pinch-hit grand-slam, that off the bat of Addison Barger. He had hit for Davis Schneider, prompting Dave Roberts to bring in his lefty Anthony Banda, a former Blue Jay of little distinction. The Jays’ nine-spot was capped off by Alejandro Kirk’s two-run homer, his second hit of the inning and third of the game.
“That’s kind of how we roll,” manager John Schneider said. “So much credit to the guys up and down the lineup, being ready to come into the game. Those at-bats in that inning … started with Bo’s walk, then it kind of just kept on going. Those were some pretty terrific at-bats, up and down.”
In the seventh inning, on the way to victory, simply challenging hitters to put the ball in play, Braydon Fisher allowed a towering two-run homer to Shohei Ohtani. Chris Bassitt and Eric Lauer then logged an inning each to bring it home.
Not Even Bo Knows
Can Bo make it through seven games? It should be noted that simply because a pro sports team decides on a course of action, in terms of utilizing personnel, does not mean it’s always going to work out. Not every choice, not every return to action of an injured player, not every transaction made by professional sports decision-makers in key moments works out for the best. Thus, within that premise, let’s consider the decision by the Blue Jays to bring back Bo Bichette to the active ranks and immediately insert him into the starting lineup. It was made but the jury is still out on the wisdom.
The first opportunity on this night for the Jays to gauge the readiness of Bichette to resume his spot in the lineup, if not his defensive position, came in the first. inning They didn’t have to wait long for Bo to get involved. With Guerrero Jr. on first base via a walk, Bichette stepped in for his first plate appearance in 48 days. That, in itself, was a gamble given the handicap of no spring training, no rehab option and not facing live pitching other than a couple of intrasquad games over that stretch. With a 3-0 count, Bichette was given the green light and dribbled a ball through the infield for a single into short right field, with Vlad racing around to third. Good start.
As a baserunner, watching him navigate around first base, Bo took a short, two-step lead, each time, standing straight up with no inclination that he was born to run. But when the count reached 3-1 to Alejandro Kirk, Bichette was forced test it out. He started to run as a foul ball bounced at the plate. He then raced around second as Kirk looped a foul ball down the right field line. Each time he walked gingerly back to first base. When Kirk finally walked, Bo was able to stroll into second where he remained.
Remember, Bichette had not been in a major-league game since injuring his knee in a terribly conceived slide at home plate against the Yankees on September 6. Yes, he had been taking batting practice and running — mostly straight lines — but only recently had he been taking groundballs and limping the bases. In his absence and including the two post season series vs. the Yankees and M’s, the Jays, minus Bo, had been 19-12 and 7-4 in October earning a spot in the Jays first Fall Classic since 1993.
It should also be noted that Bo had not played second base in a pro game since his one appearance in 2019 at AAA-Buffalo. For his entire pro career, he had just 30 games at second base. With the most in any one season being 14 in 2017 at A-Lansing.
What about the new position? Bo’s first two chances, defensively, included the pivot on a double play attempt vs. Teoscar Hernandez, but the ball was not hit hard enough to Andres Gimenez. Will Smith slid into second but did not make contact. An inning later, Bo made a fabulous backhand play up the middle on Teoscar, with a spin and accurate throw, but came up limping slightly on the damaged left leg.
The play received kudos from fellow infielder Ernie Clement, who has been ping-ponging between second and third for most of the season and is a Gold Glove candidate at two positions.
“He looked like a natural (second baseman),” Clement told Sportsnet’s David Singh. “It’s him trusting his instincts and just being a ballplayer at the end of the day.”
In his post-game presser, even Yesavage acknowledged the great Bo play up the middle that saved a run and allowed him to remain in the contest.
In the bottom of the third, Bo grounded into a double play and Pepe-le-Pew’d it down the first-base line, clearly favouring the knee. Leading off the sixth in a tie game, Bichette walked and was pinch-run for by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, even though his spot was likely to get another at-bat. IKF remained in for the rest of the game.
It’s hard to envision six more games of this for Bo.
Yesavage, Trey bien, allowing 2 runs in 4 IP
Then there’s the decision to start a raw rookie, 22-year-old Trey Yesavage in Game 1, against the greatest team that money can buy. After making quick work of the top of the Dodgers lineup in the first on 15 pitches, Yesavage bobbed and weaved his way through the next two frames, inally ending with two runs in his four innings. The Dodgers went 4-for-8 with three walks and a 1.136 ERA in the second and third, but only scored a pair of runs.
There was pressure, but Yesavage, on baseball’s biggest stage, faced baseball’s greatest player leading off for the Dodgers. He struck out Ohtani to start a 1-2-3 inning.
“It’s my goal to go out there and strike out everybody I face,” Yesavage said, showing a level of a young man still learning his craft. “Being able to start off the game on a hot note was definitely a boost in my confidence. It was cool. It was really cool.”
It was perhaps a controversial decision to go with the kid over the veteran and acknowledged veteran ace of the rotation, Kevin Gausman, who had worked one inning in Game 7 of the ALCS vs. the M’s. After establishing himself early in his young career as a 4-seam and splitter dominated hurler, Yesavage threw just 10 splitters among his 80 pitches in Game 1. He explained felt he didn’t have the same command of that pitch and opted for more sliders. Yesavage will likely get the ball in a potential Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.
Bichette and Yesavage may not have been the biggest stories in the convincing Game 1 victory over the NL pennant winners, but both men bear watching as the series unfolds.