The Blue Jays host the Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night, with a shot at taking down the reigning champions and winning their first title since 1993.
While this year’s Blue Jays have had their fair share of “team of destiny” moments already in the postseason, the challenge of the Dodgers is simply on a different level. Los Angeles sports a lineup that can go bat-for-bat with Toronto, and a pitching staff the likes of which the Jays have not yet faced in the postseason.
Taking the mound for the Dodgers in Game 1 is two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who so far this postseason has pitched 21 innings and given up just six hits and two runs while striking out 28. Will the Blue Jays be able to break through against Snell? Or will the lefty continue his dominant run with another great start on the road?
Below we take a look at how some of Toronto’s best bats match up against Snell.
All stats come with the help of StatHead.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in the midst of one of the greatest postseason runs we have ever seen from a hitter, and looking worth every dollar of the $500 million contract extension he signed back in April. Vladdy is slashing an absolutely absurd .442/.510/.930 so far this postseason, with six home runs, 11 runs scored and 12 RBIs. He has struck out just three times.
The Blue Jays will need Guerrero to keep up his hot streak if they are going to take the title, but the slugger will have his work cut out for him against Snell on Friday night. Guerrero is just 2-for-9 in his career against Snell, with three walks and no strikeouts. He has not produced a hit against Snell since the 2020 season.
Obviously we are working with small sample sizes here, and it’s possible that Guerrero’s current hot streak is more indicative than any stats on previous plate appearances vs. Snell could be, but it’s worth noting that Toronto’s best hitter will be facing his toughest competition yet on the mound.
George Springer
Heading into the World Series, no player on the Blue Jays has had more looks against Snell than George Springer, and he’s certainly held his own against the two-time Cy Young winner, slashing .267/.353/.467 in 17 plate appearances. But similar to Guerrero, Springer’s success against Snell came quite some time ago—his last hit against Snell was a home run in 2019, and he’s 0-for-6 against him since.
That said, Springer should fare pretty well in the series overall—when we look at his record at the plate against the entirety of the Dodgers’ current staff rather than just Snell, his slash line jumps to .358/.415/.506. Notably, Springer is batting .467 and has two home runs in his career against Shohei Ohtani, which could come up huge later in the series.
Daulton Varsho
Daulton Varsho has been another key contributor at the plate for the Blue Jays this postseason, especially in the ALDS against the Yankees where he was 7-for-12 with seven runs scored.
Against Snell, Varsho is 2-for-8 with a walk and two strikeouts in his career. Against the Dodgers this past season, Varsho was a solid .375/.583.375 across 12 plate appearances as Los Angeles took two of three games against Toronto.
Alejandro Kirk
While it’s a comically small sample size, the numbers show that no Blue Jays hitter has had more success on a per at-bat basis against Snell than catcher Alejandro Kirk.
In four trips to the plate, Kirk has two singles, a walk and a strikeout against Snell. The bad news? Kirk has struggled in his career against the rest of the Dodgers’ current staff, batting just .148 against the rest of the pitchers Los Angels might bring to the mound.
Given Kirk’s place in the lineup, he could be seeing some extremely key at-bats both tonight and this series as a whole. If the Dodgers decide to walk Guerrero in a key spot, it will likely be Kirk charged with making the most of the free man on base.
Nathan Lukes
As the No. 2 batter in the Blue Jays’ lineup, Lukes has been rock solid this postseason, batting .333 while handing the inning over to Vladdy in the No. 3 spot.
Notably, Friday night will be Lukes’s first time facing off against Snell. While this likely gives the edge to the pitcher, Lukes could be a wild card for Toronto in the right spot.