Blue Jays stand a much better chance at beating Glasnow than they did against Yamamoto

For the Blue Jays to take back the series lead, they must best Tyler Glasnow, a pitcher they know well. He spent 2018 to 2023 in the AL East with the Tampa Bay Rays, facing the Blue Jays 13 times, with nine of those outings coming as a starter.

During those matchups, he went 1-4 with a 5.82 ERA over 51 innings, a 68:27 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and allowed an earned run in all but one game. The Blue Jays’ lineup has evolved, but the Blue Jays hitters in Monday's lineup have already found some success against the right-hander.

In his last outing against Toronto on August 10, Glasnow threw 5.2 innings, gave up two earned runs, walked four, and struck out eight. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had an RBI double, and Ty France had an RBI single.

Among today's likely starters, Guerrero Jr. (6-17, HR, 3 RBIs), Bo Bichette (2-16, 1 RBI), and George Springer (6-13, HR, 2 RBIs) have over 10 at-bats versus Glasnow. Andrés Giménez (2-6, HR) is the only other projected starter with a hit off him.

Blue Jays stand a much better chance at beating Glasnow than they did against Yamamoto

Though there is history between Glasnow and the Blue Jays, it will not be easy. This history gives the team a more optimistic outlook than that against Yamamoto, whom the Blue Jays faced for the first time in Game 2. The 6'8" Glasnow's height provides him with a stride that allows him to deliver the pitch closer to the plate than most in the majors.

This stride distance gives batters less time to decide whether to swing, and creates the illusion that the pitch is faster than it actually is. The Blue Jays' success will come from jumping on the fastball that Glasnow throws 35 percent of the time. His arsenal also includes a slider, a curveball, and a sinker, which he throws equally.

If the Blue Jays achieve this success and knock out Glasnow early, they will face the Dodgers' vulnerable bullpen. The key strategy here is to replicate the approach from Game 1: work deep counts, raise Glasnow's pitch count quickly, and force the Dodgers to turn to the bullpen as soon as possible. Once in the bullpen, the Blue Jays can target struggling relievers, and maximizing scoring opportunities in the middle innings.

The bullpen has been the Dodgers' Achilles' heel in the postseason, but they had leads before going to the pen and held on for the wins. Their 6.16 ERA is the target the Blue Jays need to take advantage of, although Dodgers' Manager, Dave Roberts, knows his team's weakness and may lean on his new closer, Roki Sasaki, earlier than the ninth inning, as he's been the lone bright spot in the bullpen. He's posted a 1.13 ERA over eight postseason innings.

The Blue Jays have a challenging task in Game 3, facing Glasnow. Their key strategies should include being patient at the plate, hunting fastballs early in the count, and forcing Glasnow into long at-bats to increase his pitch count.

Once the bullpen comes in, the Blue Jays must stay aggressive and look for mistakes from Dodgers relievers. Regardless of the Dodgers' starter, Toronto's focus should be on reaching and exploiting the weak bullpen.