TORONTO — After 32 long years, the Toronto Blue Jays made a thunderous return to the World Series spotlight — and U.S. media can’t stop talking about it.
The Jays’ 11-4 blowout win over the heavily favored Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 on Friday night at Rogers Centre sent shockwaves across the baseball world. From ESPN calling the win “worth the wait” to the Los Angeles Times groaning “Ouch, Canada,” American commentators were left in awe — and a little disbelief — at Toronto’s offensive onslaught.
On Fox’s postgame show, David Ortiz praised the Jays’ relentless approach. “We saw a team tonight that attacked during the whole game. They never stopped!” he said, as co-host Derek Jeter added that Toronto “capitalized on every mistake” the Dodgers’ bullpen made.
Jeter didn’t mince words about the Dodgers’ predicament heading into Game 2: “Tomorrow is a must-win for Los Angeles. If Toronto steals another, it’s a problem.”
Fans poured into the streets of Toronto celebrating the historic night, fueled by Addison Barger’s pinch-hit grand slam — the first ever in World Series history.
Ortiz added some levity to the postgame atmosphere, shouting “DAAAAA Dodgers lose!” in homage to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s viral chant from the ALDS, as the Fox studio erupted in laughter.
Over on MLB Network, analysts called the opener “a bad matchup” for the Dodgers, saying Toronto’s balanced lineup “exploited L.A.’s pitching weaknesses and forced chaos in every inning.”
Meanwhile, L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke lamented the crushing defeat, opening his piece with: “Ouch, Canada.” He wrote, “The World Series wasn’t supposed to start like this. The Dodgers weren’t supposed to begin their inevitable championship march like this.”
ESPN’s Jeff Passan took a more reflective tone, describing Toronto’s Game 1 eruption as “worth the wait,” after three decades of heartbreak. “Thirty-two years of frustration and failure… burst in magnificent fashion Friday night,” he wrote.
Even the L.A. Times’ Jack Harris conceded that the Dodgers “were exposed,” saying the Jays “exploited their bullpen until it melted down.”
For one night, the story wasn’t about Hollywood’s stars — it was about a resilient Toronto team reminding the baseball world that they’re not just back in the World Series — they’re here to make history.