This rematch carried the weight of October, even if the game didn’t.
Meeting for the first time since the unforgettable Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Toronto Blue Jays in a 14-2 win on Monday night at the Rogers Centre.
Though the series opener was devoid of the close battles we saw in the Fall Classic, this was still a sequel worth watching. The matchup wasn’t as competitive, but it was certainly just as revealing.
Here are my takeaways:
1. Deja Vu: Teo Takes Mad Max Deep
(Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
Teoscar Hernandez is familiar with Max Scherzer hanging his breaking balls. Batting cleanup for the second time this season, Hernandez took Scherzer deep on a slider that fell into the heart of the strike zone, giving the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the first inning. It was déjà vu for these World Series rivals.
You’re forgiven if, amid all the ridiculous plays from the 18-inning Game 3 in last year’s Fall Classic, you forgot about this one. Last October, Hernandez went deep off Scherzer in his first at-bat against him, putting the Dodgers on the board in a six-hour, 39-minute game they would end up winning 6-5. That solo shot from Hernandez was the only home run he hit in the World Series. Conversely, the Dodgers’ left fielder has been heating up at the plate this past week.
Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez hits two-run HR, taking lead over Blue Jays
Hernandez’s first-inning dinger on Monday night was his second in two days and his 10th hit in his last 20 at-bats. The veteran’s excellent production came after a disappointing 1-for-10 start to the season, underlined by manager Dave Roberts benching Hernandez against the Nationals on Saturday. Hernandez had a strong spring, but the 33-year-old still needs to find consistency at the plate — particularly while Mookie Betts spends time on the injured list with an oblique strain. Hernandez’s home run at his old haunts in the Rogers Centre should help him stay hot.
2. Scherzer’s Early Exit Points To Toronto’s Larger Problem
(Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
It’s early in the season, but the Blue Jays can’t find a reliable backend starter to save their lives. Scherzer was mysteriously pulled from the series opener against the Jays after just two innings. He allowed two runs on two hits, walked one batter, and struck out two. This was the 41-year-old’s second start of the season, and he only threw 36 pitches. Whether his early exit was due to poor performance or an injury, it’s the latest blow for a Blue Jays rotation in crisis.
Toronto is already missing four of its starting pitchers, including Trey Yesavage (right shoulder impingement), Cody Ponce (torn ACL), Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation), and Jose Berrios (right elbow stress fracture). Scherzer’s fastball velocity was down in the first inning Monday from his first outing of the year. Any prolonged absence from the veteran will spell disaster for the Blue Jays.
In a twist of fate, it’s likely that only the Dodgers could overcome the type of injury-bug running through the Jays’ rotation. Los Angeles has an embarrassing number of high-quality starters ready to be deployed in case of injuries to the major-league staff, highlighted by left-hander Justin Wrobleski’s outing on Monday. Considered a depth arm, the southpaw held Toronto to five innings of one-run ball. On the flip side, Blue Jays left-hander Josh Fleming couldn’t limit the damage after Scherzer’s exit. Fleming permitted four runs on six hits in just three innings of work from the bullpen.
3. A Tale of Two Offenses
No, this wasn’t batting practice. But the Dodgers sure treated the series opener like that, bullying Toronto’s beleaguered pitching staff for 14 runs and 17 hits, including five home runs, on Monday. No one had a better night than catcher Dalton Rushing, who went 4-for-4 with two homers. Coming off a sweep of the Nationals, Los Angeles’ powerful lineup has scored double-digit runs in three of its last four games for an absurd total of 45 runs in that stretch. By the bottom of the seventh inning, Roberts was able to get Freddie Freeman off his feet and replace him with first baseman Santiago Espinal. Second baseman Alex Freeland was the only batter in the Dodgers’ starting lineup who did not record a hit.
Shohei Ohtani launches homer, extending Dodgers’ lead over Blue Jays
The Blue Jays offense, meanwhile, continued to come up empty. The lineup combined to go 4-for-26 against three Dodgers pitchers. It wasn’t until Dodgers’ veteran infielder Miguel Rojas took the mound in the ninth that the Jays collected their fifth hit and second run of the game. George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., David Schneider, Miles Straw, and Andres Gimenez all went hitless. The Blue Jays’ 36 runs scored so far this season are ranked 22nd in MLB. Their team OPS of .663 is ranked 18th in the majors. Their bats have just been unable to get it going.
Blue Jays fans were gloomy as they watched Kyle Tucker go 1-for-3 with two walks, three runs scored, and an RBI for the Dodgers. Toronto aggressively pursued Tucker, the top free agent of the offseason, before the outfielder signed a four-year, $240 million deal with Los Angeles. Despite reportedly offering a long-term deal and a competitive contract, the Blue Jays were again the bridesmaids this past winter, mirroring their failed pursuit of Shohei Ohtani before the 2024 season. For the Jays, Monday night’s laugher against the Dodgers was a painful reminder of those swings and misses.
4. What Happened To The Blue Jays’ Defense?
(Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
The Blue Jays added a pair of errors — and a third misplay that easily could’ve officially been scored as an error — as their sloppy play continued into the World Series rematch on Monday. Fleming replaced Scherzer in the third inning and immediately committed a throwing error to first base, allowing Shohei Ohtani’s 46 mph grounder to warp into two bases for Los Angeles’ leadoff man. What could’ve been an out turned into runs scored when Freeman launched a two-run homer moments later.
In the same inning, Kazuma Okamoto couldn’t field Andy Pages’ 105-mph line drive to third base. In the fifth, Guerrero Jr. flipped an errant throw to Fleming, as Max Muncy reached base on what the official scorer called a hit to lead off the inning. Moments later, Muncy scored on an Alex Freeland groundout, instantly punishing the Jays for their mistake. So far, this Blue Jays team does not remotely resemble the strong defensive club that went to the Fall Classic last season.
Toronto ranked first in the majors in Fielding Run Value and fourth in Defensive Runs Saved last year. The Jays have already committed eight errors in 10 games this year. It’s been a difficult start to 2026 for the defending American League champions. After getting swept by the White Sox this past weekend, the Jays suffered a demoralizing loss to the almighty Dodgers. Toronto can at least take solace in the fact that its season didn’t truly turn around until the beginning of July last year. There’s a long way to go.
4 ½. What’s Next?
(Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
Bring out the popcorn for the second game of this much-anticipated matchup on Tuesday. Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto will go toe-to-toe against veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman as the Blue Jays look to punch back and even the series.
After winning the 2025 World Series MVP, Yamamoto has a 3.00 ERA (four earned runs in 12 innings pitched) across two starts this season. Gausman, who was terrific in the playoffs last year, is off to a historic start for the Blue Jays. After dominating against the Rockies last Wednesday, Gausman became the only pitcher since at least 1900 with 10-plus strikeouts and no walks through each of his first two starts of the season. If there’s anyone who can stop the bleeding for the Jays, it’s Gausman.
Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
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