Dodgers Bullpen Struggles Exposed in Game 1 vs Blue Jays

Dodgers bullpen struggles were exposed in Game 1 of the 2025 World Series as the Blue Jays scored 11 runs. Blake Snell faltered, and middle relievers couldn’t hold the lead.

TORONTO — The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the 2025 World Series opener on Friday riding high after a dominant postseason run. They had stormed through the Reds, Phillies, and Brewers with a 9–1 record, outscoring opponents 46–28 along the way. Their powerful starting rotation of Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani had combined for a stellar 1.40 ERA during that stretch — a sign of excellence and control.

But in Toronto, the Dodgers’ one major weakness finally caught up to them — their middle relief bullpen.

Blue Jays Expose Dodgers’ Weak Spot

In Game 1 at Rogers Centre, the Blue Jays took full advantage of Los Angeles’ shaky middle relievers, handing the Dodgers a tough 11–4 defeat. With left-hander Alex Vesia unavailable due to personal reasons, the Dodgers’ bullpen depth was clearly tested — and it didn’t hold up.

Blake Snell, who had been brilliant in the NLCS against Milwaukee, looked off-balance this time. He gave up eight hits and five runs in five innings, including a home run to Daulton Varsho. After loading the bases to start the sixth inning, Snell watched as Emmett Sheehan allowed all three inherited runners to score.

From there, things only worsened. Between Sheehan, Anthony Banda, Justin Wrobleski, and Will Klein, the Dodgers’ relievers surrendered six hits, two home runs, and six total runs over four innings.

Manager Dave Roberts: “We Need to Be Better”

Manager Dave Roberts didn’t sugarcoat the situation after the game.

“We’re going to need those guys to step up,” Roberts said. “The way our bullpen is structured, everyone has to contribute. There’s still a lot of baseball left, but we have to make better pitches.”

It’s a clear message — the Dodgers can’t rely solely on their elite starters if their bullpen can’t hold leads or keep games close.

Roki Sasaki Holding the Fort, But Needs Help

With Roki Sasaki filling in as the team’s temporary closer, the Dodgers have managed to stabilize the back end — but without a consistent bridge from the starters to Sasaki, the pressure is mounting. Toronto’s offense, which exploded for 14 hits and three homers in Game 1, showed how dangerous it can be when opponents falter in the middle innings.

“We just didn’t execute the pitches we needed to,” Roberts admitted. “Credit to Toronto — they fought every at-bat.”

Game 2: Yamamoto Looks to Bounce Back

For Game 2 on Saturday, the Dodgers will send Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound, fresh off a complete-game, one-run gem against Milwaukee in the NLCS. The Blue Jays counter with Kevin Gausman, who will look to build on Toronto’s offensive momentum.

History, however, is on the side of teams that win Game 1. In MLB’s best-of-seven postseason format, the team that takes the opener has gone on to win the series 64.8% of the time. When winning at home, that number jumps to 67.6%.

Dodgers Must Respond Quickly

Roberts knows his team can’t afford another shaky performance.

“We can be better — we need to be better,” he emphasized. “The Blue Jays are hot right now. From top to bottom, we have to keep grinding, take good at-bats, and play our brand of baseball. If we do that, we’ll be fine.”

Final Thoughts

The Dodgers have faced adversity before, but this time, their bullpen depth is under the spotlight. With the Blue Jays’ lineup firing on all cylinders, Los Angeles must tighten up its middle relief and find stability fast. If not, their quest for back-to-back World Series titles could slip away before they even return home.

Dodgers Bullpen Struggles