MLB WORLD SERIES: DODGERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 27, 2025

Will Klein

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 3 Press Conference

Los Angeles Dodgers - 6, Toronto Blue Jays - 5

Q. Can you just tell me what was going through your mind during all of the innings, coming back and being so effective tonight?

WILL KLEIN: Just keep going. We weren't losing that game, and so I had to keep going back out there. I was going to keep doing that and doing all I could to put up a zero and sit back down and go do it again.

Q. You guys having Alex's number on your cap, could you tell me just how that came about?

WILL KLEIN: I would like to let them speak about that when they want to, but just keeping them in our thoughts and our prayers, and there's bigger things than baseball, and he's in all of our hearts.

Q. Can you tell me when the last time you had thrown 72 pitches was and when tonight you knew that you would have to really take a bulk of those innings?

WILL KLEIN: Probably college. My junior year when I was still a starter. Well, I realized that when I looked around in the bullpen and my name was the only one still there (laughing). I was just going to go until I couldn't, and that's kind of what happened and, thankfully, Freddie saved us from Yamamoto having to do the same thing.

Q. Was that your last inning for sure?

WILL KLEIN: I think so. I sure hope so.

Q. The first three went pretty quickly. How much of a grind was it to get through that 4th inning, a couple of walks, wild pitch? How much did you have to dig deep there?

WILL KLEIN: Yeah, a lot. I started to feel it, and there were times when, like, you're starting to feel down and, like, you feel your legs aren't there or your arm's not there, and you just got to be like, well, who else is going to come save me, you know? So I had to dig deep, do it myself. And hearing our guys in the dugout and the fans kind of come behind, especially with Will calling that last curveball, I was like, all right, cool, let's do it. And just having those guys kind of takes it all away from -- takes all the fatigue out of you and stuff.

Q. How did you stay sharp earlier in the playoffs when you weren't on the roster, and then was it a surprise to be put on the World Series roster?

WILL KLEIN: No, we were in Arizona throwing live A-Bs once a week to their guys there and then playing catch and trying to stay in it mentally. It wasn't easy, but we had guys there that made it possible and stuff. So having those guys around really helped.

Q. You start this year in another organization. You kind of bounce back and forth over the last couple months. Could you have ever imagined a moment like this when you were going through some of that stuff? Do you think about wanting to be ready in case a situation like this happens, or what did it feel like to have gone through that now and had this kind of night?

WILL KLEIN: Yeah, I don't think I could have ever imagined that this would happen. At the start of this year I was still with the A's, and then ended up with the Mariners, and here. Even that was crazy. And then we were at home, and then got to go to Toronto, get added, and I was excited for that. And now, like, you don't ever expect these things, but you got to stay in it mentally and physically just in case. And you never think it's going to be, like, this crazy, but just being able to stay ready and help the guys that have worked their butts off for this.

Q. Dave told the broadcast, I think, during the 16th inning that he was not going to push you past the 17th. Were you guys having conversations about how long you could go? Did you fight to back out there? And did Yamamoto going to the pen change the calculus at all from what you know, or what was that like?

WILL KLEIN: I just said I was going to keep going. Each time I came back in they're like, How many more? As many as you guys need. And Freddie hit that home run, so we didn't have to find out. Yamamoto throwing out of the pen on one day rest after nine innings would have been insane, but that's the kind of guy he is. So he wants it too and -- I mean, we all just wanted that so bad. But we did not have to find out.

Q. Throughout this year you're kind of back and forth between Triple-A and the big league ball club, and someone else referenced it, being left off the previous playoff rosters, could you say that coming into tonight maybe use that as motivation or was it just kind of a one inning at a time type of inning?

WILL KLEIN: Yeah, it was one inning at a time. I was out there going one pitch, trying to get each guy out that I faced. It wasn't like I was angry that I was left off. There are other really good pitchers that were added, and, like, originally it was like a little disappointing, but you can't be mad to get added to the World Series roster. So I wasn't -- no, I wasn't thinking about that. I was more so, like, I'm just going to go out there, do what I can to help all these guys that have worked their butts off, you know.

Q. When you look at, obviously probably right now you're spent, and Shohei reached base nine times. And you look up tomorrow and say, oh, he's your starting pitcher. What thoughts come to your mind about him when you think about that?

WILL KLEIN: He's a freak. I mean, that guy (laughing). I don't know how anyone can do what he does. Being the best hitter and the best pitcher in the league. I don't think there's a word to describe it other than he's the GOAT. But, I mean, just getting to be teammates with him is a great honor. So, I mean, that guy, he's going to go out there and shove tomorrow, and we'll be like, man he was on base nine times yesterday and he's not tired at all, so...

Q. I know you had pitched four innings and maybe were thinking about pitching a fifth, so what were your emotions like when Freddie hit that home run and where were you when it happened?

WILL KLEIN: Relief. No, just pure excitement. I mean, 18 innings, 17 innings of like pure grit and determination of everyone on that team, the guys that didn't play, the guys that aren't on the roster, like everyone was into that game with their all. So that was kind of the epitome of what the team's done all year, and just having Freddie do it, like you know he would, just kind of was the cherry on top.

Q. What were you doing the second that it happened? Were you having conversations, were you watching it, where were you specifically?

WILL KLEIN: I was sitting on the railing. You kind of a gut feeling, you know. And then I blacked out, so I don't remember what I did after that.

Q. Did you grow up expecting or wanting to be a pitcher? You were a catcher for a little while, right? How did that transition come about?

WILL KLEIN: Yeah, I always liked pitching. I caught growing up, too. I always wanted to be a pitcher, but I think -- my mom hates when I say this, but like going to prospect camps and talking to schools, always wanted to go to college as a pitcher, and she wanted me to stay as, like do about the both and stay well rounded, you never know what will happen. And then I think senior year I broke my thumb on my throwing hand, and so that kind of nixed catching and hitting. I still would try to throw. And then I ended up, like I pitched in summer ball, and that's when teams were like, all right, we want you to pitch. So that's kind of where that went. And I'm glad I don't catch. I still feel it in my knees though sometimes.

Q. I know you were in the clubhouse briefly before you came in here. Did you get to check your phone and see how many text messages you had?

WILL KLEIN: I looked at it and then put it down. I had never seen that many notifications in my life. I don't know if I'll get through 'em in the next month, but I'm going to try to get back to people. I have a lot of people to thank that have gotten me to where I am today, and so those people, I'll try to get back to them and do my best to respond to everyone that's supported me.

Q. You threw 72 pitches tonight. Your previous career high was 36. How are you feeling right now, just your level of exhaustion, and what were you feeding off to kind of get through this?

WILL KLEIN: I don't think that's set in yet. Just pure adrenaline. Just I have that thought in my mind that we weren't going to lose that game. So each time I went out and I felt my legs were tired I'm like, well, who cares. Like no one else is going to care that my legs are tired right now. The hitter doesn't care, so why should I. And just finding it in me to throw one more pitch, and then throw another one after that. And then sitting down and getting back up, the same thought going back out there for the next one. Like putting up a 0, we're not losing this game. So I was, that's kind of what got me through it. And then, yeah, Freddie.

Q. The Freddie celebration, and then they all go over to you and circle around you and celebrate with you. What did that mean to you to have them embrace you like that in that moment?

WILL KLEIN: That was so cool. I never dreamed that anything like this would happen. So just having the guys like Kersh, Freddie, Shohei, Mookie, all those guys like kind of celebrating me for a second there was just insane. I don't think I could have dreamt a dream that good. So that was, yeah, that was crazy.