Oct, 25 2025
When Blake Snell steps onto the mound for 2025 World Series Game 1Rogers Centre on Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers hope his historic 0.86 ERA and a changeup that whiffs 65.5% of the time will be the catalyst for a championship. The game‑changing arm will face the Toronto Blue Jays in front of a packed Toronto crowd, aiming to cap a postseason that has already rewritten his legacy.
Background: Snell’s Road to the Dodgers
Snell’s journey to this moment began in Tampa Bay, where he earned his first Cy Young Award in 2018 and threw a clutch inning in the 2020 World Series for the Rays. A three‑year stint with the San Diego Padres from 2021‑2023 forced him to refine his pitch sequencing against NL West rivals — a crucible that forged the modern version of his changeup and slider.
In the winter of 2024, Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, capped a $182 million, five‑year contract on Snell, betting the ace could fill the missing piece in a rotation that had floundered in the 2024 playoffs.
Postseason Dominance in 2025
Since the wild‑card round, Snell has tossed 21 innings over three starts, allowing just two earned runs, six hits and issuing five walks. His 28 strikeouts translate to a 12.0 K/9 rate — numbers that sit alongside a microscopic .090 batting average against (BAA). The changeup, now his signature weapon, generated 38 swing‑and‑misses out of 58 swings, the fifth‑highest whiff rate for a single pitch in postseason history since pitch‑tracking began in 2008.
Perhaps the crowning jewel came in the NLCS Game 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Snell faced the minimum 24 batters across eight innings, surrendering just one hit, no walks and fanning ten. In the words of Brewers manager Pat Murphy, “I think it’s the most dominant performance against us. I’ve been here ten years and I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Voices from the Club: Management and Coaches
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has repeatedly emphasized Snell’s role as the rotation anchor: “With every great staff you need that anchor. Having him back at this level raises the bar for everyone.”
Pitching guru Mark Prior added at a press conference on October 24, “He’s peaking. He can throw four pitches anytime, forcing hitters to choose sides, velocity, shape. That’s why his WHIP is down to .52 this postseason.”
Even after a grueling 2025 — shoulder inflammation, a four‑month IL stint and a hospital stay following the birth of his first child — Snell told reporters, “I called it the hardest year of my career, but it showed me what I’m capable of when I’m healthy.”
What This Means for the World Series
The Dodgers entered the Fall Classic with a rotation that finally looks like a true ace‑plus‑depth unit. Alongside Snell, the staff features right‑handers Shohei Ohtani (returning from a second Tommy John surgery), Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow. If Snell can maintain his .090 BAA and sub‑1.00 WHIP, the Dodgers will have the lowest postseason ERA in the league, a statistical edge that bodes well in a series where runs are hard to come by.
Opponents will have to solve the puzzle of his changeup, which now looks less like a “slow ball” and more like a mini‑fastball, launched from a low‑three‑quarter arm slot that creates a vertical drop impossible for most major‑league hitters.
Key Facts
- Game 1 start time: 7:05 p.m. ET, October 25, 2025
- Snell’s postseason line: 0.86 ERA, 0.52 WHIP, 28 K, 5 BB in 21 IP
- Changeup whiff rate: 65.5 % (38 of 58 swings)
- Contract details: 5‑year, $182 million (signed winter 2024)
- Dodgers rotation: Snell, Ohtani, Yamamoto, Glasnow, plus depth from emerging arms
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Snell’s performance affect the Dodgers’ chances of winning the World Series?
Snell’s sub‑1.00 ERA gives Los Angeles the lowest postseason ERA in the league, meaning the team needs fewer runs to stay competitive. His ability to limit baserunners (<0.55 WHIP) forces opponents into high‑pressure situations, which historically improves a team’s odds in a short series.
What made Snell’s changeup so effective in the 2025 playoffs?
The pitch now drops from a three‑quarter arm slot, adds a late‑life spin, and sits in the low‑80s with a crisp, tight release. That combination, plus a whiff rate of 65.5 %, makes hitters swing early or miss entirely, turning ordinary at‑bats into strikeouts.
Who are the other key pitchers for the Dodgers in this World Series?
Besides Snell, the rotation features Shohei Ohtani (who returned from Tommy John surgery), Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow. Their combined ERA sits under 3.00, giving Los Angeles depth and flexibility.
What challenges do the Blue Jays present to Snell?
Toronto’s lineup boasts power hitters like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a deep left‑handed core. They adjusted after a June meeting in Los Angeles, so Snell will need to vary pitch sequences and avoid predictable patterns that the Jays studied from his August 3 start.
When is Snell expected to make his next start if the series extends?
If the Dodgers stay on schedule, Snell is slated for Game 4, giving him four days rest after his Game 1 outing. The rotation’s three‑day rhythm means he could also appear in Game 7 if Seattle’s bullpen is taxed.