Why Dodger Stadium offers ‘historic’ World Series backdrop

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LOS ANGELES – Here at Dodger Stadium, the visiting manager's office is cramped and you have to navigate a maze to find your way to the clubhouse.

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But as a World Series host, the Blue Jays had plenty of magic to embrace. as they prepared for the next three games from a best of seven series.

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“Historic team, big market, big stadium with a lot of memories from the game,” Schneider said before Monday's game.

“I mean, we'd love to be anywhere, but I think when you talk about the World Series, the biggest stage this game has to offer, it's really cool that we can come to this park to visit.

“Everything here is big, it feels like it. The speakers are so loud. The field is big. This is the environment you want to be in if you're trying to achieve the end goal.”

That was certainly the scene Monday on a brilliant day in Southern California as the marine layer cleared and the sun took a sharp turn. The raucous pre-game atmosphere heated up as both teams took to the field for practice, a typical sensory overload for the big games played here.

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The Jays weren't there's a lot going on this season and no one expects anything to change here. But on Monday they were definitely soaking it all up in preparation for continue your incredible season in the third oldest stadium in sports.

Pitcher Bowden Francis, who is not on the playoff roster but is here with the team, wandered around the stadium four hours before the first pitch, taking photos of the sights. During training, the players took it all in.

“I'm a big fan of baseball history, and I just love that part of the game,” Jays infielder Ernie Clement said. “When you get to play in Boston, Fenway Park, Wrigley and all these old ballparks, there's so much cool baseball history. I'm honored to be a part of it, and you don't take for granted being in these really cool ballparks.”

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SPINA BICHET: HERE'S WHY

Provided that he feels ready for this task, having Bo Bichette starts games 1 and 3 with a break in the middle, fighting was always part of the Jays' plan. After missing seven weeks with a knee injury, the Jays didn't want to put too much stress on him too quickly.

But Bichette returned to the lineup Monday as expected.

“He missed seven weeksso I think just playing will help him get his legs under him a little bit,” Schneider said of Bichette, who moved back to second base in the third game. “It’s the volume of the game and (with that comes) more confidence as he gets used to everything the game will ask him to do.

“I think as the series goes on, you'll probably see him get a little more comfortable when it comes to running and overall endurance in the game.”

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NOT A LOT OF HISTORY HERE

Although the story takes place in historic Dodger Stadium, the connections between the two participants are tenuous.

Obviously, this is the first time the Dodgers and Jays have met in the World Series, which will be the 12th game for the first time in 13 years.

Overall, the Jays and Dodgers met 30 times during the regular season, the first of which was a 2-1 Dodgers victory on June 18, 2002. Since MLB instituted a balanced schedule in 2023, the Blue Jays hold a 5-4 lead and have won four of their last six. The Dodgers are 10-5 at Rogers Center in regular season meetings.

SPORTSNET AUDIENCE CONTINUES TO GROW

Jace electric win 11-4 Game 1 of the World Series set a ratings record for Sportsnet, averaging seven million viewers, the most viewers watching a team on the network.

Game 2, which the Dodgers won 5–1saw a slight regression with 6.6 million viewers. Combined, the two games were attended by 15.9 million Canadians.

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