When Alejandro Kirk connected on a high curveball in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 2025 World Series, the entire Dodger Stadium fell silent — then exploded in disbelief. The Toronto Blue Jays catcher, just 26 years old, crushed a three-run homer off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin, turning a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead and flipping the script on what had looked like a Dodgers coronation. It happened on October 28, 2025, at 8:07 PM Eastern Time, in front of 54,124 roaring but stunned fans. The ball didn’t just clear the wall — it cleared expectations. And for a Blue Jays team that hadn’t won a World Series since 1993, it felt like history breathing down their necks.
The Dodgers’ Early Dominance Crumbled
It wasn’t supposed to go this way. The Dodgers, riding high after Shohei Ohtani’s second home run of the series and Teoscar Hernández’s solo shot, looked poised to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven matchup. Will Smith opened the scoring in the first with a sharp RBI single. Ohtani followed in the third with a moonshot to left-center — his 11th postseason homer this year. Then Hernández, the Blue Jays’ own former All-Star turned Dodger, added insurance with a solo blast in the fourth. By the top of the fifth, the Dodgers were up 3-0. The crowd chanted "MVP! MVP!" as Ohtani tipped his cap. Analysts on FOX Sports were already penciling in Game 4 as a coronation. "The Dodgers’ offense is firing on all cylinders," said former Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter during pregame. "They just need to keep the pressure on Scherzer. He’s not the pitcher he was in 2019."Kirk’s Moment: Sitting on the Curve
But here’s the thing — Alejandro Kirk had been waiting. Not just for this pitch. For this moment. The Blue Jays’ catcher, known more for his defensive grit than his power, had homered just once in his last 28 at-bats. Yet in the fifth, with two runners on and one out, he stepped in against Gonsolin, a pitcher who’d been untouchable in the playoffs. The first pitch? A high curveball — exactly where Kirk had been looking. "He almost as if he was sitting on it," said FOX Sports’ play-by-play announcer. The ball left the bat at 112 mph. It carried — and carried — and carried — until it crashed into the left-center field bullpen. The stadium held its breath. Then the roar hit like a tsunami.Kirk didn’t celebrate with a fist pump or a bat flip. He just ran. Slowly. Almost like he knew. Like he’d dreamed this since he was a kid in San Pedro de Macorís. "Last time he got a big home run, he just ran through it holding it," the announcer added. "He has half of it on ‘cause he said it doesn’t fit." A quiet man, Kirk. But on that night, his silence screamed louder than any celebration.
The Ripple Effect: Momentum Shifts in the Series
The Dodgers’ bullpen froze. Manager Dave Roberts pulled Gonsolin immediately, but the damage was done. The Blue Jays’ offense, long dormant since Game 1, woke up. Teoscar Hernández — now wearing Dodger blue — watched from the dugout as his former teammates rallied. "That’s the kind of hit that changes a series," said David Ortiz during a postgame interview. "You don’t need a grand slam. You just need one guy to believe — and then the whole team follows." The win cut the Dodgers’ series lead to 2-1. Game 4, scheduled for October 29 at Dodger Stadium, became must-watch television. The Blue Jays, who’d been written off after losing Game 1 in Toronto, now had life. And with ace pitcher Alek Manoah set to take the mound, the series was suddenly alive again.Behind the Scenes: Ownership, Broadcasts, and Legacy
The game was produced under FOX Sports’ seven-year, $5.1 billion broadcasting deal with Major League Baseball, headquartered at 245 Park Avenue in New York City. Pre-game ceremonies featured country stars Brad Paisley and JP Saxe performing both national anthems — a nod to the growing cultural reach of baseball. The Dodgers, owned by Guggenheim Baseball Management under chairman Mark Walter, entered the series as National League champions. The Blue Jays, controlled by Rogers Communications and President Tony Vinciquerra, were the American League’s surprise survivors.Max Scherzer, the 39-year-old veteran making his fourth World Series start, was the topic of endless debate. "He’s not the pitcher he was," Jeter had said. But by the end of Game 3, even skeptics had to admit: Scherzer’s presence on the mound — even if he didn’t pitch — gave the Blue Jays a psychological edge. He was watching from the dugout, towel draped over his shoulders, nodding as Kirk rounded the bases.
What’s Next? The Series Hangs in the Balance
Game 4 looms large. If the Dodgers win, they’re one win away from their third title in five years. If the Blue Jays win? The series shifts back to Toronto tied 2-2 — and the Rogers Centre, a place that hasn’t hosted a World Series game in 32 years, will be electric. The Dodgers’ offense, while potent, has shown cracks. Ohtani’s brilliance can’t carry them alone. And Kirk? He’s no longer just a catcher. He’s the spark. The guy who turned a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead with one swing. In a sport where moments define legacies, Alejandro Kirk just made his.Frequently Asked Questions
How did Alejandro Kirk’s home run change the momentum of the 2025 World Series?
Kirk’s three-run homer in the fifth inning of Game 3 turned a 3-0 Dodgers lead into a 4-3 Blue Jays advantage, shifting psychological momentum entirely. Before the homer, the Dodgers were dominating offensively and looked poised to take a 3-0 series lead. Afterward, the Blue Jays’ offense, dormant since Game 1, came alive, and the Dodgers’ bullpen faltered under pressure. The win cut the series deficit to 2-1, forcing Game 4 under far greater pressure for Los Angeles.
Who were the key analysts commenting on Max Scherzer’s performance in Game 3?
Former MLB legends Derek Jeter, David Ortiz ('Big Papi'), and Alex Rodriguez provided expert analysis during FOX Sports’ pregame and postgame coverage. While Scherzer didn’t pitch in Game 3, his presence as a veteran and his fourth World Series start were central to their commentary. They debated whether his experience could still influence the series, even from the dugout — a view later validated by the Blue Jays’ renewed confidence.
What’s the significance of Dodger Stadium hosting Game 3 of the 2025 World Series?
Dodger Stadium, located at 1000 Elysian Park Avenue in Los Angeles, has hosted 13 World Series games since 2000 — more than any other ballpark in that span. Game 3 marked the first time since 2017 that the Dodgers had home-field advantage in a World Series. The crowd of 54,124 was the largest of the series, but Kirk’s homer silenced the home fans — a rare and pivotal moment in postseason history.
How does this moment compare to past Blue Jays’ World Series heroics?
Kirk’s homer is the most significant single hit by a Blue Jays player since Joe Carter’s walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series — the last time Toronto won it all. No Blue Jays catcher has ever hit a postseason home run with more impact. Unlike Carter’s game-winner, Kirk’s came in the middle of a game, reversing momentum rather than ending it. Still, it carries similar symbolic weight: a franchise-defining moment from an unlikely hero.
What are the odds of the Blue Jays winning the 2025 World Series after Game 3?
Before Game 3, Vegas odds had the Dodgers at -350 to win the series. After Kirk’s homer and the Blue Jays’ 4-3 win, those odds shifted to -180 — a dramatic swing. With Alek Manoah set to pitch Game 4 and the series returning to Toronto if tied 2-2, the Blue Jays now have a 48% implied probability of winning the championship, up from just 22% before the game. The series is no longer a coronation — it’s a battle.
