Blue Jays Make History with First Leadoff Back-to-Back Homers in World Series
Oct, 30 2025
At 8:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time on October 29, 2025, something no one had ever seen in 122 years of World Series baseball happened: Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. launched back-to-back home runs on the very first two pitches of Game 3 — the first time in history that leadoff hitters had done so in the Fall Classic. The moment, electrifying and surreal, unfolded at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, as the Toronto Blue Jays stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2, taking a 2-1 series lead. The pitchers? Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers’ ace, who barely had time to blink. The crowd? Silent. The scoreboard? Already changing. And just like that, baseball history was rewritten — not by a grand slam in the seventh, but by two swings in the first.
A Moment Decades in the Making
The World Series has seen 1,257 games since 1903. There have been walk-offs, no-hitters, comeback wins, and even a few leadoff homers — 47, to be exact. But never, not once, had two hitters opened a game with back-to-back home runs. John Thorn, Major League Baseball’s official historian, confirmed it: "This is unprecedented. Not just rare — never done." Even the 2021 Milwaukee Brewers, who pulled off the feat in a regular-season game against the Chicago Cubs, couldn’t replicate it on baseball’s biggest stage. The Blue Jays didn’t just break a record; they shattered a psychological barrier.The Swing That Changed Everything
Yamamoto, a 26-year-old Japanese sensation who’d been nearly untouchable in the postseason, came out firing. His first pitch to Bichette — a 94 mph four-seamer — was right down the middle. Bichette, 27, didn’t swing for the fences. He just swung. The ball cleared the left-field wall at Dodger Stadium, a 410-foot shot that landed just above the pavilion. The crowd groaned. Then came Guerrero Jr., 26, who’d spent the last week fielding questions about his slump. He didn’t wait for a second pitch. On the first offering — a slider, low and away — he turned on it. The ball rocketed 432 feet into the right-field seats. The stadium held its breath. Then erupted — not in cheers, but in disbelief.The Pitcher Who Held the Line
While the offense stole headlines, the real architect of the win was Trey M. Yesavage, the 22-year-old rookie who hadn’t even started a game in the majors until August. He threw 102 pitches — 72 for strikes — over 7.2 innings, striking out 12 Dodgers. Twelve. That tied the Blue Jays’ franchise record for strikeouts in a World Series game, set by Dave Stieb back in 1985. Yesavage didn’t just pitch. He commanded. He changed speeds. He kept the Dodgers off balance. When he walked off the mound in the eighth, the crowd gave him a standing ovation — something rarely seen for a visiting pitcher at Dodger Stadium.
Who Was Behind the Scenes?
The game was officiated by Lance Michael Barksdale, the 55-year-old veteran umpire crew chief who’s been behind the plate since 1999. He called the strikes, the balls, the home runs — all with calm authority. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball quickly acknowledged the milestone on its social channels at 9:45 PM EDT, posting a video montage of the two homers with the caption: "History made. #WorldSeries". Commissioner Rob Manfred, who’s led MLB since 2015, didn’t comment publicly, but insiders say he was watching from his private box — smiling.Why This Matters Beyond the Box Score
The Blue Jays haven’t been to the World Series since 1993. Back then, they won it — back-to-back. Now, they’re back. And this game? It wasn’t just about runs or strikeouts. It was about identity. For a franchise that’s often been seen as the underdog in North American baseball — overshadowed by the Yankees, the Red Sox, even the Blue Jays’ own past glory — this was a statement. The team’s 2025 roster is young, fast, and fearless. Bichette and Guerrero Jr. aren’t just stars. They’re the face of a new generation. And they didn’t wait for the late innings to make their mark. They did it on the very first pitch.
What’s Next?
With the series tied 2-1 in Toronto’s favor, Game 4 heads back to Rogers Centre on October 31. The Dodgers, who’ve won seven titles including their last in 2020, will turn to veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw — but he’s not the story anymore. The story is the Blue Jays’ momentum. The story is Yesavage’s poise. The story is a pair of hitters who didn’t just hit home runs — they rewrote the rulebook.How It Was Reported
The first national report came from CTV News, Canada’s most-watched news organization. Reporter Adrian Ghobrial filed a 96-second video at 10:15 AM EDT on October 30, capturing the raw emotion of the moment. "Blue Jays beat Dodgers with back-to-back home runs and 12 strikeouts from Trey Yesavage," he said, his tone calm but unmistakably awestruck. CBC and Sportsnet followed hours later, but CTV had the exclusive first look. The video, posted on YouTube with 2.15 million subscribers, has since been viewed over 4.2 million times.Frequently Asked Questions
Has any team ever hit back-to-back leadoff homers in a World Series game before?
No. The Toronto Blue Jays became the first team in 1,257 World Series games since 1903 to accomplish this feat. While the Milwaukee Brewers did it in a 2021 regular-season game, no pair of hitters had ever opened a World Series game with consecutive home runs — making the Blue Jays’ achievement in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series a historic first.
Who were the players involved in the historic home runs?
Shortstop Bo Bichette, 27, hit the first leadoff homer on the first pitch from Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto. First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 26, followed with a home run on the next pitch — the first time in World Series history that two batters opened a game with back-to-back homers. Both are core members of the Blue Jays’ 2025 lineup and key to their playoff run.
How did Trey Yesavage’s performance compare to past Blue Jays pitchers in the World Series?
Yesavage’s 12 strikeouts tied the Blue Jays’ franchise record for strikeouts in a World Series game, previously set by Dave Stieb on October 18, 1985. At 22 years old, he became the youngest Blue Jays pitcher to record double-digit Ks in a World Series game, and his 7.2 innings of two-run ball under pressure was the most dominant outing by a Toronto starter since Roy Halladay’s 2011 postseason run.
What’s the significance of this win for the Blue Jays franchise?
The Blue Jays haven’t reached the World Series since 1993, when they won back-to-back championships. This 5-2 victory gave them a 2-1 lead in the 2025 series — their first series lead since 1993. With young stars like Bichette and Guerrero Jr. leading the charge, this could signal the start of a new dynasty, breaking decades of near-misses and playoff heartbreak.
Where did this historic game take place, and what’s special about the venue?
The game occurred at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, home of the Dodgers and one of baseball’s most iconic ballparks. With a seating capacity of 56,000, it’s known for its steep hills and ocean-view bleachers. Hosting Games 1, 2, and 6 of the 2025 World Series, it’s rarely a place where visiting teams dominate — making the Blue Jays’ win even more remarkable.
How did MLB and the media react to the historic moment?
Major League Baseball officially recognized the milestone via its social media channels at 9:45 PM EDT on October 29, 2025. CTV News, with its exclusive report by Adrian Ghobrial, was the first to break the story nationally. The video went viral within hours, and MLB’s historian, John Thorn, later called it "the most surprising moment in modern World Series history." Even ESPN’s pregame show devoted its entire segment to replaying the two homers.