MLB WORLD SERIES: DODGERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 27, 2025

John Schneider

Dodger Stadium

Toronto Blue Jays

Postgame 3 Press Conference

Los Angeles Dodgers - 6, Toronto Blue Jays - 5

Q. 18 innings. Obviously not result you guys wanted. For you what stands out as, I don't know, a turning point in that game? What do you go to?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: It was a lot, man. I love the way we played. I love the way we fought. I think every single player had the right intentions on both sides tonight. There's a lot of things you look at. We had chances to score, they had chances to score. Yeah, a lot to digest.

But I think the turning point's obviously a walk-off homer. But, man, I give my guys so much credit for playing the way they did, and Eric Lauer pitching the way he pitched. That's pretty unbelievable. I know Klein did the same thing for them.

So a lot to unpack in that game, but I couldn't feel as good as I do right now about the way they went about it.

Q. It looked like Bieber was in the bullpen at the very end. How close did he get to coming into this game?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Fairly. I think Little had at least two innings in him and kind of go from there. We were trying to navigate that a little bit knowing that after him, it was going to be Shane. That's why Eric went as long as he did. You got to figure it out sometimes on the fly. But he'll be ready to go tomorrow.

Q. I'm wondering, in the 7th inning, you guys had a mound meeting before Ohtani came up. Could have walked him then. Chose not to. Obviously you're willing to do that later on. I'm wondering why it didn't make sense in the 7th and why it made more sense to you later on?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, mound visit -- you know, we're trying to pitch around him. You trust Seranthony to make pitches to do that. Sometimes for pitchers it's hard to do that when you're kind of trying to throw a ball and didn't put it where you want to put it. But he had a great game, he's great player, but I think after that, you just kind of take the bat out of his hands.

Q. And not to give away secrets, but pretty much what we should expect going forward?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah.

Q. What do you make of Ohtani's entire performance today, and how did that match up against what you guys were kind of game planning for with him bullpen-wise?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: His performance was really good. He's arguably the best player on the planet, you know. I think you kind of react in real time a little bit. Again, man, they have a really talented lineup. It's not the easiest thing in the world to just walk him and face Mookie and Freddie. So every situation is different. You got to really execute at a high level against him. I think the first couple games we did. I know he hit the homer off Fish in Game 1, but I think that we executed pretty well minus today, and he's a great player and took some really good swings today.

Q. As you were extending Eric and asking more from Little as well, what are some of the conversations, like, in terms of assessing how they're feeling and how much more they have?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Just talking to 'em. Eric's a starter. This was obviously more than we expected out of him. It's been a long time since he's thrown that many pitches. But you watch his stuff, his stuff was holding, he was executing, and he's got great heartbeat about him. So after his second, you're kind of touching base with him, seeing how he feels, and he was really convicted about continuing to go. I mean, I can't say enough about what he did.

Q. What happened with George Springer, and where is he at right at this moment?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Yeah, George, it's some right side discomfort. He's already went for a MRI. We'll see how it comes back and see how he walks up tomorrow. But it sucks. He's obviously a huge part of our lineup. Glad I got him out when I did and hopefully it didn't make anything worse, but we'll see how he is tomorrow.

Q. How big is the challenge to make sure that this game, you don't lose this game twice?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Not at all. I mean, not at all. This group is going to be ready to play tomorrow. Longest game in World Series history, whatever it is, tied for it. I mean, these guys are enjoying it. They were in the right mindset and the right head space the entire time. It sucks that it's late right now, we got to come back and do it again tomorrow, but these guys are going to be more than ready. The Dodgers didn't win the World Series today, they won a game. These guys are going to be ready to go tomorrow.

Q. Did you almost feel your own mindset towards Ohtani evolve as the game went on like, Oh, geez, we need to rethink how we approach this guy, and just totally take the bat out of his hands?

JOHN SCHNEIDER: Every game's different. Every pitcher's different. Again, man, the guy's a great player. There's certain times where I feel like you feel like, you feel better about someone else beating you. If that someone else is Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman it still stings. But he had a great game and we're just going to try to continue to execute.