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The Los Angeles Dodgers return to Toronto’s Rogers Centre on Monday night to play a three-game series against the Blue Jays, giving baseball fans a peek at what a potential World Series rematch could look like.<\/p>\n
It’s the only time the teams will meet in the regular season this year.<\/p>\n
While Toronto has worked to make its lineup even better<\/a> since the Dodgers defeated them 5-4 in extra innings of Game 7<\/a> on Nov. 1, L.A. has likewise added to what it already had.<\/p>\n Sonja Chen, the Dodgers beat reporter for MLB.com, says L.A. spent money in the off-season to upgrade its outfield and its bullpen, while maintaining the core group that won it all.<\/p>\n In other words, the back-to-back champion Dodgers haven’t weakened. If anything, Chen says L.A. is fielding a better team than they did last year.<\/p>\n “They have the roster they think can win them a third straight championship,” she said in a recent telephone interview.<\/p>\n For Tom Verducci, the present-day Dodgers remind him of the late ’90s New York Yankees, the last baseball dynasty to win three World Series in a row from 1998 to 2000<\/a>.<\/p>\n “I think the Dodgers are clearly the team to beat,” says Verducci, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who recently published a deep dive into L.A.’s blueprint for success<\/a>.<\/p>\n More talent than ever<\/p>\n So who have the defending champions added? Let’s take a look.<\/p>\n First came Edwin D\u00edaz, the top closer available on the free-agent market. The Dodgers signed him to a three-year deal<\/a> worth $69 million US, to shore up the bullpen.<\/p>\n Later came the news that outfielder and four-time all-star Kyle Tucker<\/a> would join the Dodgers on a four-year deal worth $240 million.<\/p>\n Tucker joins a long list of players the Blue Jays tried to sign, but who ended up playing for L.A. \u2014 including two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani<\/a> and pitcher Roki Sasaki<\/a>.<\/p>\n The total value of the contracts for D\u00edaz and Tucker total more than $300 million. But the Dodgers are among baseball’s top spenders, and the organization has used salary deferrals<\/a> to manage the financial burden of some of its player contracts.<\/p>\n L.A. also re-signed veteran infielder Miguel Rojas, who Jays fans will remember for his ninth inning home run<\/a> that tied up Game 7 of the World Series for the Dodgers. He then threw out Isiah Kiner-Falefa at home plate in the bottom of the ninth<\/a>. <\/p>\n The Dodgers also re-signed Enrique Hern\u00e1ndez<\/a> (who starts the year on the injured list), agreed to a one-year extension<\/a> with third baseman Max Muncy, and also came to terms with reliever Evan Phillips (also on the injured list).<\/p>\n Verducci says the Dodgers have enough talent at both the major- and minor-league levels, to keep the ballclub on target during the marathon regular season.<\/p>\n WATCH | Blue Jays fielding high expectations in 2026: What you need to know about the 2026 Blue Jays<\/p>\n The Toronto Blue Jays are back after their heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2025 World Series. But the team is looking a little different from last October ahead of their home opener. CBC\u2019s Jamie Strashin walks you through what to expect from Canada\u2019s baseball team as their 50th season kicks off. <\/p>\n “They can withstand these injuries as well or better than anyone else,” he said.<\/p>\n Chen says the list of injured Dodgers, which also includes two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell and infielder Tommy Edman<\/a>, is also a group of players who will provide real impact when they return to action.<\/p>\n Also, first baseman Freddie Freeman, shortstop Mookie Betts and catcher Will Smith haven’t gone anywhere, leaving the Dodgers just as strong as they were in those spots last year.<\/p>\n Superstar Ohtani has years to go in his contract with the Dodgers, and remains a threat whether he’s on the mound (he threw six innings of shutout ball in his season debut<\/a>) or in the batter’s box. <\/p>\n “The championship core is still here and still locked up for the long term future,” said Chen, matter of factly.<\/p>\n Verducci believes this current edition of the Dodgers has the potential “to be the best in the dynasty.”<\/p>\n A sweep to start<\/p>\n The Dodgers started their season with a series sweep \u2014 just like the Jays<\/a> \u2014 with three straight victories over the Arizona Diamondbacks.<\/p>\n Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the MVP of last year’s World Series<\/a>, got the first win of the season for L.A. with a six-inning, six-strikeout performance, in which he gave up just two runs on March 26. The Dodgers won 8-2<\/a>. <\/p>\n Emmet Sheehan had a shakier start the next day, but the Dodgers still prevailed 5-4<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tyler Glasnow gave the Dodgers another six-inning, six-strikeout performance in the final game of the series that L.A. won 3-2<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Dodgers then went 1 for 3 in their second series against the Cleveland Guardians, which included Yamamoto’s first loss of the year<\/a>.<\/p>\n Even with a winning start through those early series, Chen says the Dodgers still haven’t fully got going just yet. <\/p>\n “They haven’t put it all together,” she said. <\/p>\n Chen says the Blue Jays’ pitchers may be in a position to give the Dodgers some trouble, given the slow start at the plate for some members of the L.A. ballclub. <\/p>\n![\"Freddie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775290569_843_default.jpg\")
Freddie Freeman, the first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, checks out the latest World Series ring he won after beating the Blue Jays in 2025. (Mark J. Terrill\/The Associated Press)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775290569_660_default.jpg\")
The Dodgers signed outfielder Kyle Tucker to a four-year deal worth $240 million US. The Jays had also sought his services. (Kirby Lee\/Imagn Images\/Reuters)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775290570_892_default.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775290570_240_default.jpg\")
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani watches from the dugout during the ninth inning of a game against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday. (Caroline Brehman\/The Associated Press)<\/p>\n![\"L.A.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775290571_52_default.jpg\")
Yoshinobu Yamamoto got the win during the Dodgers’ first game of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 26. The Dodgers won 8-2. (Mark J. Terrill\/The Associated Press)<\/p>\n![\"Los](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775290571_805_default.jpg\")
Mookie Betts makes a throw during a March 31 game against the Cleveland Guardians. (Ryan Sirius Sun\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
![\"Max](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775290572_997_default.jpg\")
Dodgers’ third baseman Max Muncy takes a swing during an at-bat against the Cleveland Guardians on March 30. (Luke Hales\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n