The Toronto Blue Jays didn’t just win Game 4 of the 2025 World Series—they outlasted exhaustion, silence, and a stadium still buzzing from the previous night’s marathon. On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at Dodger Stadium, they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2, erasing a 2-1 series deficit and forcing a decisive Game 5 back in Toronto. The win came less than 24 hours after Game 3Dodger Stadium ended at 11:58 PM Pacific Time, lasting 18 innings—the second-longest in World Series history. Players barely slept. Bullpens were drained. And yet, the Blue Jays came out swinging.
Rest? What Rest?
After Game 3, the Dodgers’ bullpen had thrown 13.1 innings. The Blue Jays’ relievers weren’t far behind at 12.2. Neither team had a fresh arm to spare. So Game 4 became a test of endurance, not just talent. Shane Patrick Bieber, Toronto’s starter, delivered like a man who’d slept in a chair. He pitched 6.2 innings, struck out nine, and allowed just two earned runs. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers’ two-way star, took the mound on just over four hours of sleep—after hitting a game-tying homer in Game 3. He lasted six innings, gave up six hits, four earned runs, and went 0-for-3 at the plate. His two strikeouts against Bieber were brutal: a backfoot sweeper that froze him in the sixth, and a first-pitch flyout in the seventh. Ohtani didn’t just lose the game—he lost his rhythm.Blue Jays’ Batting Breakthrough
Toronto’s offense woke up when it mattered most. In the third inning, Vladimir Antonio Guerrero Jr. launched a solo home run off Ohtani—a shot that cleared the left-field fence and sent the 56,000 fans into stunned silence. It was his first homer of the series, and it came after a 1-2-3 inning in Game 3. Then, in the fifth, Bo Riley Bichette smashed a triple to left-center, scoring George Kevin Springer to make it 2-0. Home plate umpire John Tempain reviewed the play—after a long pause—and upheld the call. That’s the kind of moment that changes momentum. The seventh inning sealed it. Dalton James Varsho led off with a single to right. Springer followed with a double, driving him in. Then, in the eighth, the dam broke: Bo Bichette hit a two-run single, and Teoscar Hernández added a sac fly. Six runs. Three innings. The Dodgers’ bullpen, already stretched thin, had nothing left.
Recovery in the Dark
Sleep was scarce. Ohtani admitted to sleeping at 2 a.m. after Game 3. "I felt pretty good about being able to have a quality sleep," he said through interpreter Will Ireton. But the numbers don’t lie—he was visibly off. His fastball, usually clocking 97 mph, hovered around 92. His splitter, his deadliest pitch, lacked bite. Guerrero Jr., meanwhile, had a different strategy. "To be honest, I slept like a baby," he told interpreter Hector Lebron. "We all know it was a long game. It hurts when you lose a game like that. But I was so tired that I just went to sleep." His body didn’t need motivation—it needed rest. And he got it.What’s Next: The Road to Toronto
Game 5 shifts to Rogers Centre in Toronto on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 8:08 PM Eastern Time. The Blue Jays will start Yusei Kikuchi, who’s been a quiet force this postseason. The Dodgers counter with Clayton Edward Kershaw, a Hall of Fame-bound veteran making his first World Series start since 2017. Kershaw’s experience could be the difference—but so could fatigue. Both teams have thrown 26 innings across their top two starters in the last three games. That’s more than most teams use in a full week. This is the first World Series meeting between the Blue Jays and Dodgers. For Toronto, it’s their first appearance since 1993—the year they last won it all. For LA, it’s a chance to silence doubters after a season defined by injuries and late-season drama. But right now? The Blue Jays have the momentum. The energy. The belief.
Why This Matters
Baseball is a game of inches. But sometimes, it’s a game of sleep deprivation. Game 3’s 18-inning epic was a historic endurance test. Game 4 was the physical and psychological reckoning. The Blue Jays didn’t just outplay the Dodgers—they outlasted them. And in a series where every pitch counts, that’s everything.Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Blue Jays manage to win Game 4 after such a long Game 3?
Toronto’s starters, especially Shane Patrick Bieber, delivered exceptional performances under extreme fatigue. Bieber pitched 6.2 innings with nine strikeouts, limiting damage while preserving the bullpen. The Blue Jays also capitalized on key hits—Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s home run and Bo Bichette’s triple—when the Dodgers’ pitching was visibly worn down. Their ability to rest and recover mentally, despite minimal sleep, gave them a psychological edge.
What impact did the Game 3 bullpen usage have on Game 4?
The Dodgers used 13.1 innings from their bullpen in Game 3; the Blue Jays used 12.2. That left both teams with severely limited relief options in Game 4. As a result, both starters—Bieber and Ohtani—had to pitch deeper than usual. Ohtani’s fastball velocity dropped, and his command faltered. The Dodgers’ relievers, who had thrown 18 innings over the last two games, were unavailable for high-leverage situations, forcing manager Dave Roberts into poor tactical decisions.
Why is Game 5 so critical for both teams?
The winner of Game 5 takes a 3-2 series lead and gains home-field advantage for the remainder of the series. The Blue Jays will host Games 5, 6, and potentially 7 at Rogers Centre, where they’ve won both their home games so far. The Dodgers, who lost Game 4 in front of a hostile crowd, now face elimination if they lose in Toronto. With Kershaw pitching for LA and Kikuchi for Toronto, Game 5 is a classic clash of veteran experience versus rising talent.
Has this ever happened before in World Series history?
Yes. In 2016, the Cubs and Indians played a 10-inning Game 5 after a 17-inning Game 4. But a 18-inning Game 3 followed by a decisive Game 4 win is rare. Only one other World Series featured a game longer than 18 innings: Game 2 of the 2018 World Series between the Dodgers and Red Sox, which lasted 18 innings. The Blue Jays’ comeback after such a grueling game mirrors the 1986 Mets’ resilience after Game 6, but with even less rest.
What’s at stake for Shohei Ohtani in this series?
Ohtani is already a two-time MVP, but he’s never won a World Series. His performance in Game 4—0-for-3 at the plate, 4 earned runs allowed, and visible fatigue—has raised questions about his ability to carry both roles under extreme pressure. If the Dodgers lose, it could define his legacy as a player who excelled in the regular season but couldn’t deliver in the biggest moments. His next start, if needed, will be watched globally.
Why is this the first World Series for the Blue Jays since 1993?
After winning back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993, the Blue Jays entered a 30-year playoff drought, plagued by ownership changes, payroll cuts, and inconsistent management. Their return to the World Series in 2025 marks the culmination of a rebuild led by GM Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider. Players like Guerrero Jr. and Bichette are the first generation of homegrown stars to lead them back. A win here would end the longest championship drought in Canadian sports history.
