MLB WORLD SERIES: DODGERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 28, 2025

Blake Snell

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. What did you learn from your previous experience that will help you this time around?

BLAKE SNELL: Yeah, I just learned things I did wrong, things I did right. I can't really tell you because then that's telling them. But, yeah, just fastball command needs to be better. That's apparent to anyone. Yeah, I mean, like I say, after the game, but I'm not going to say it before.

Q. We talked to a lot of the guys just about last night, but what was it like for you just kind of seeing everything unfold, 18 innings, the bullpen, all of that?

BLAKE SNELL: Yeah, just confidence in the team, the guys that were going to find a way to win. Yeah, it's weird, I mean, with this team -- I've played on so many teams and every team's different every year. But this team there's just a confidence and a belief about us that's different and that we know we're going to win, we're going to find a way to win. We're so connected as a team. It's been a lot of fun just to be a part of it and just chase winning.

Q. Before Game 1 Dave Roberts and others have talked about just the competitor that you are. Being in the World Series, having a second opportunity to face this lineup, just is there an underlying feeling for you or just another drive for you to want to put yourself in a better position to perform on the mound?

BLAKE SNELL: Yeah, I mean, I'm thankful for the first start and what I was able to learn and how much better I got from that, and then, yeah, beyond excited that I have another opportunity tomorrow to really display the kind of pitcher that I am and that I'm striving to be.

No, I really can't wait for it. I'm so excited. Yeah, you want to contribute and when we're winning and we're in the World Series, there's no better moment than right now.

Q. What goes through your mind watching Ohtani do what he did last night, reaching base nine times, and then the fact he's got to come back and pitch today?

BLAKE SNELL: I mean, I could safely -- I don't want to say safely because he'll probably break it, but I don't think I'll see that ever again, nine times in a row, I mean, like, reach base in one game. At least I hope not. That's a lot.

Yeah, but it doesn't even a amaze me with him anymore. He's going to do spectacular things all the time, and it's just going to be normal for him. Yeah, it's just the standard that he holds himself to and he creates is pretty amazing. Just to see the respect of the other side with intentionally walking him, and we're going to pitch to him, and no we're not, we're going to walk him again. Yeah, just to see what he's able to do is pretty amazing.

Q. If were you on the other side, would you want to pitch to Ohtani?

BLAKE SNELL: Yeah, I'm pitching. Yeah. I mean, I got nothing to lose, yeah.

Q. As the extra innings are piling up last night, where are you kind of watching from? Are you thinking, oh, do I need to go get ready? What's going through your mind as that's happening?

BLAKE SNELL: I didn't really think that I was going to have the opportunity to pitch. I was, like, oh, we're going to do it. We're going to find a way to win here every extra inning, and then it just kept going and going.

Then Mark came and talked to me, and I was like, Yeah, I'm good if you need me. Then Dave got Yama going, and I was like, okay, well, who is next? (Laughing.) It's pretty apparent I would be the only one next.

Yeah, so then I was just thinking, like, I would rather get ready now and just be ready to go out there. Yeah, those are, like, the convos with Mark and then in my own head, but I'm very thankful Yama didn't have to go out there, and I didn't have to get ready and we were able to win in 18th.

Q. In August, you faced the Padres and you faced them a week later, and then in September, you faced the Phillies and faced them in the postseason close together. How beneficial was it to face a team like that that close together?

BLAKE SNELL: Yeah, I like it. Like, good or bad start the first game, it doesn't matter because the second game, I always feel, is going to be better because -- they always say it's advantage hitter because they have seen you, but I think it's advantage pitcher because you've pitched against them, you know what they can do, it's fresh in your head, you have an idea.

Yeah, I just pitched against them and didn't execute, and now I have an opportunity to go execute and see how good I am and how much those five days in between got me locked in to be the best version of me. I like it a lot and I'm going to pitch the same to some guys, different to some guys. Like, you're going to go through that battle. But I like it because there's a comfort to it. Like, you've already faced them, you know what they can do, now you just got to execute.

Q. Will Klein was the last guy last reliever standing down there. Young guy, might have -- a lot of people might have flinched in that situation coming in and what the circumstances were. What did you think of his emotional maturity there and how he handled it?

BLAKE SNELL: No, I loved it. The last two guys that came out of the bullpen were both throwing a hundred. I mean, that's like, what? (Laughing.) Those were the last two guys we're bringing out of the bullpen? But, no, to see what he was able to do and battle -- and you could tell, I mean, even especially that last inning that he threw, he was on fumes. That was just will power and I -- I didn't mean to say that, but yeah, it goes together. But, yeah, it really was. To see him give everything that he had and, I mean, he got us that win. Without him, we don't, probably don't win. He's only been on this roster, he was in AZ before. I mean, you can't make that up (laughing). No, it was pretty amazing. That's a story he'll have the rest of his life.