Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. World Series heads to Toronto with Dodgers on the brink:
After tying up the World Series on Tuesday, the Blue Jays took the lead last night with a dominant 6-1 showing against the Dodgers. Rookie Trey Yesavage, in particular, was brilliant as he struck out 12 Dodgers across seven innings of one-run ball. Meanwhile, the offense did its part as Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit back-to-back homers off Blake Snell to give the Jays an early lead to which they continued to add throughout the game. Now, the teams are headed back to Toronto for the final off-day of the 2025 season. That’ll be good for both teams, offering the Dodgers a chance to reset as they face elimination while allowing Blue Jays veteran George Springer the opportunity to heal up a bit more in hopes of returning to the starting lineup for Game 6.
2. Padres narrow managerial search to finalists:
It was reported yesterday that the Padres have settled on a group of finalists for to replace Mike Shildt as their next manager. Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols has gotten the most buzz out of any candidate, and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale suggests that the club’s second interview with Pujols lasted a whopping 9.5 hours. Rangers special assistant and former Padres catcher Nick Hundley and current Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla are both known finalists as well, and the possibility of a fourth mystery candidate lingers as San Diego has been connected to potential options like Scott Servais and Ryan Flaherty.
3. Nationals managerial search update:
The Nationals don’t seem to be quite as far along in their own managerial search as San Diego is, but they’re still making progress. Interim manager Miguel Cairo is now out of the running, while the Nats have added three candidates to a pool that already included former Orioles manager Brandon Hyde: former Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann, and Double-A Red Sox manager Chad Epperson. Epperson and Hyde are the only candidates known to have interviewed, but it’s possible that Baldelli has as well. Given that Lehman is still in the midst of a World Series run with Los Angeles, the Nationals figure to be watching the Fall Classic closely as sort through their managerial options.
Finish it off Blue Jays and get Donnie Baseball a championship.
It still blows my mind that this is his first WS appearance. If he gets a ring, it will be much deserved after his incredible career and contributions to numerous organizations.
Wild to play all 14 of your MLB years with the Yankees and never play in a WS. Their longest gap without a WS appearance since 1921 was 15 years, between 1981 and 1996 and Mattingly’s career ran from ’82-’95
Bad timing!
Steinbrenner ruined them during those years with all his meddling and bad free agent signings. When he got suspended and stopped changing managers constantly they became great again.
Didn’t hurt that Andy, Jeter, Jorge and Mo all came up together either…..
I know right? I had to do some googling when I heard Donnie hadn’t been there before. We are all so accustomed to the Yankees being perennial contenders that it’s easy to forget the futility of the 80s.
Bad in the ’80s: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Rolling Stones, Yankees
Mattingly is long due.
It’s probably the fair result.
World Series being played on Halloween isn’t ideal….
Happens almost every year. Where you been
Out trick or treating.
No it doesn’t.
nbcsportsboston.com/mlb/boston-red-sox/the-history…
Where YOU been?
totally agree. bummer.
9.5 hours? Is that dedication or stubbornness?
I’m guessing they got tired and took a nap somewhere in that time.
It was Nightengale that said it so you have to take it with a grain of salt. He flew into San Diego at 9am and flew out at 6:30 maybe?
That’s Albert treating them to BBQ at his place to watch the 18 inning WS game.
That was an amazing pitching performance by that young man. Just beautiful to watch his splitter dazzle and fool the hitters. Let’s see if the Blue Jays can take care of business in Game 6 good luck!
12 k’s and no walks. First time in World Series history.
The Jays have struggled for years to develop their own pitching. Nate Pearson was supposed to be the guy, but he never panned out. Alek Manoah was it for a year and half, and then he flamed out spectacularly. Ricky Tiedemann was going to be the guy but then he got Tommy John, so the jury’s still out on him.
Trey walks in the doors of the organization this past spring to begin his professional baseball career, and now, if the Jays win, he has a moderate shot at being the World Series MVP. Even if not, the mere fact that it’s a possibility is bonkers.
Trey looks like will end up having a long and successful pitching career. Hopefully he does, he’s doing at the biggest stage so hopefully he keeps this up!
Boyertown High School produced that young man and the lovely Mrs. Whyhayzee.
Yeah, another prospect doing great things.
As a Red Sox fan the Yankees have had a bunch of CLASS players as much as I hate to say it…. None more than Don though… what a player… He and Dewey much deserved Cooperstown
I think you overrate Mattingly. He had a short run of success when he batted between Henderson and Winfield. After they were gone he was barely above average. Meanwhile they traded away Steve Balboni and he actually won a championship in 1985. Mattingly was a very good player and a really good guy but not the legend he is made out to be. Now Dwight Evans is truly a Hall of Famer in every way. But he didn’t win either. And he’s not a legend but was better than people realize for longer than Mattingly.
Mattingly’s overall career numbers aren’t as great as his legend, but that’s in large part due to injury. During his age 23-26 age seasons he produced bWAR values of 6.3, 6.4, 7.2, and 5.1. The last year of that stretch, he aggravated a back injury he had played with since the minors. He never was able to recover properly, leading to the diminished results.
His talent level really was that of a legend, but his injury prevented him from ever fully realizing it.
You’re not wrong about Evans though. 67.2 bWAR. Impressive career. Should be in the Hall, but never really had a singular great year, just a lot of really good years. If he had won that MVP in ’81 instead of finishing 3rd, maybe he’d be in.
Probably Hayzee… just always remember him getting clutch hits to sink the Red Sox… took till Jeter came along for me to push Donnie aside in that case…
This series could easily be over already with the toss up game 3. Only thing Dodgers have going for them is that they won games 2 and 3 and it’s the same pitching matchups for games 6 and 7.
“Only thing Dodgers have going for them is that they won games 2 and 3.”
Brilliant observation. And the only thing the Blue Jays have going for them is that they won games 1, 4, and 5.
This is a fun game.
Looks like I was right that exact trend continued
Beat LA!
Not really a surprise that the Dodgers are struggling offensively. They weren’t coming into the playoffs hot and didn’t score a lot in the first place. They’re going to have to hope that Yamamoto can give them another complete game but I feel the Jays will be ready to put them away, in Toronto and start the celebration.
Ultimately, the playoffs are really randomness and who’s coming in hot.
While I agree that the playoffs are kinda random, this Jays team deserves a ton of credit. They are a legitimately great and likeable team. What a season.
C-Daddy: That’s such a cliché. What team that reaches the World Series doesn’t deserve “a ton of credit?” Or even a couple of pounds?
Huh? Their success has been largely dismissed as a fluke all season long.
C-Daddy: False narrative.
They were the top seed with the best record in the AL, and they were a game better than the Dodgers.
Nobody dismissed their success except possibly you.
There’s no way Dodgers bats can overcome Roberts bringing in Banda and Treinen late to put the game outta reach….
I keep hearing “all hands on deck” if there is a game 7 with some suggesting Ohtani will be first man out of the bullpen. Ohtani should probably start with Glasnow as first man out of the pen in that case because unless the Dodgers plan on using Ohtani in the field he can’t go back to DH’ing if he comes in in relief and has to be taken out. I could see them using him to close out the game if they are winning though
Rsox: It seems the Ohtani Rule is all encompassing. I don’t think there’s any way to get him out of a game no matter when he pitches, starter or relief.
Actually not true. The Ohtani Rule states a starting pitcher can stay as a DH if removed for a reliever. However, if he comes in in relief he loses his DH spot in the lineup and could only stay in the game if he is moved to another spot in the field (i.e. the Outfield)
Rsox: Thanks for the clarification. I’d love to see Ohtani play a position other than pitcher. How far does his talent go?
Not that it matters but even if he could stay in dh it would be better for him to be the starter. If he’s coming into the game as relief, you might be limited in options. Like if he’s due up this inning, you won’t be able to have him pitch in the bottom of that inning since there won’t be enough time to warmup between his at bat and when the top of the inning ends.
Apparently the Nationals were a bit farther along in their manager hiring process than this article assumed! 🙂
This will be the one and only time you will ever hear me say this. Today I am a Blue Jays fan. Come the beginning of next season I will go back to rooting for them to lose every game, but for now I want them to beat the Dodgers.
@Baseballisthebest
So, if there’s a game on November 1st, you’ll be cheering for the Dodgers?
Baseballisthebest: Why do you assume this matters to anyone but yourself?
@Ask me about my winner!
He’s out there hustling to earn some more cash. Well earned!
Ask me about my winner! So you’re one of those wacko conspiracy theorists. Check.
Where’s your proof? Without it, you’re just a wacko conspiracy theorist.
Ask me about my winner! Proof that he’s guilty of any wrongdoing.
Whatever you say jefe.
The Blue Jays offense does everything I wish the Dodgers would do. The Jays don’t strikeout and when they’re not hitting homers they’re lining the ball the other way and advancing runners. When the Dodgers don’t homer they’re striking out or popping out to an infielder or a lazy fly out not advancing runners. It’s been like that pretty much all season with the exception or beating up on some bad teams.