On a crisp October morning that smelled faintly of coffee, maple, and anticipation, Major League Baseball released the official rosters for the 2025 World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers — and with it came storylines layered in both hope and heartache.

Rogers Centre in Toronto is the site for Game 1 of the World Series, and its attached hotel offers a unique gameday experience.

Toronto is now managed by John Schneider. He was initially drafted by the Blue Jays and made his way through their minor league system. When too many concussions ended his playing career, he ended up getting into coaching. Schneider returned to Toronto and served as the bench coach in 2022, when manager Charlie Montoyo was fired.

Ohtani, of course, ended up signing with the Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million deal before the 2024 MLB season