Oct 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is interviewed by TBS reporter Lauren Shehadi as owner Mark Walter and president Stan Kasten watch after game four of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dodgers Overwhelmingly Predicted to Win World Series Over Blue Jays by Insiders

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Patrick Warren | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 12:30 PM ET

It's no secret that the Dodgers are heavy favorites entering their second consecutive World Series, this time against the Toronto Blue Jays.

In a recent ESPN poll consisting of 19 baseball executives, scouts, managers and coaches, 18 predicted that the Dodgers would hoist the Commissioner's Trophy for a second straight season while just one picked the Blue Jays.

One strength that many insiders cited was the Dodgers' overwhelming advantage at the starting pitching position. With Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers starting rotation is sporting a 1.40 ERA and has held hitters to a .132 batting average this postseason.

"The Dodgers will ride their starting pitching to another title in five games," one National League scout told ESPN.

A big point of contention this postseason has been over the Dodgers' massive payroll this season. Spending over $500 million after factoring in taxes, the Dodgers brought in elite players such as Snell and extended Glasnow to match a dominant offense with an elite starting rotation.

However, one MLB insider gives more credit to the Dodgers ability to manage their roster rather than to purely spend. Snell missed much of the regular season on the injured list before he and the team decided he was ready to return in early August.

"Nobody is beating that Dodger rotation," a former manager said. "People can talk all they want about the [financial] disparity, but the Dodgers have done a great job getting those guys ready for this time of year, holding them back, giving them rest during the season."

However, not everyone is counting the Blue Jays out. After Toronto fought off the New York Yankees in the ALDS and won an electrifying Game 7 over the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS, the Blue Jays are riding high going into the World Series.

"Toronto has earned the right to be here. Played consistent all year. Then came up big when they needed to in the postseason. New York and Seattle are not pushovers. Of course, neither are the Dodgers. To win, Vlad Guerrero Jr. might have to match the entire top of L.A.'s lineup. He's been the best hitter this postseason."