The Los Angeles Dodgers earned themselves a breather. Their dominance this October – a 9-1 mark that includes a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series — means that they can sit and watch to see who will join them in the 2025 World Series.

Who should they prefer?

3 reasons Dodgers fans should root for the Toronto Blue Jays

1. They’ll have had to expend their pitching to get there

The Blue Jays put themselves in an unenviable position by losing their first two games at the Rogers Centre in this ALCS. Then, they were just six outs away from coming back home up 3-2 in the series, with two cracks at home to end it. Now, the Blue Jays will need rookie Trey Yesavage to keep them alive, and all hands on deck for a potential Game 7 to even get into the World Series. Contrast that with the Dodgers, who, thanks to their standout rotation, can now line up their pitching however they’d like and press what is already their greatest advantage.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has five homers this postseason heading into ALCS Game 6. (Al Bello / Getty Images)

2. The Blue Jays’ lefty killers aren’t the Phillies’ and Brewers’ lefty killers

A lid was kept, at least temporarily, on Shohei Ohtani this postseason because the Phillies and Brewers both could deploy as many tough left-handed matchups on Ohtani as possible. The Phillies executed it to perfection, with all four of their bulk pitchers being left-handed. In total, 16 of Ohtani’s 20 plate appearances in the National League Division Series came against lefties. While the first of Ohtani’s three moonshots in Game 4 of the NLCS came against a lefty (Jose Quintana), the Brewers largely did a good job of this, too.

Blue Jays lefty Brendon Little, who gave up the game-tying home run to catcher Cal Raleigh in Game 5 of the ALCS, has already taken on a career-high workload. Mason Fluharty notably punched out Ohtani to earn his first career save at Dodger Stadium earlier this summer, but an Ohtani stopper he is not. Eric Lauer was a starter most of this season, so he wouldn’t be used as Philadelphia’s Matt Strahm or Milwaukee’s Aaron Ashby were against Ohtani and first baseman Freddie Freeman.

Little, Fluharty and Lauer are the only three lefties on the Blue Jays’ pitching staff this postseason. Justin Bruihl, a former Dodger who was on the ALDS roster, has extreme platoon splits that would make deploying him difficult with shortstop Mookie Betts and either catcher Will Smith or outfielder Teoscar Hernández behind Ohtani.

3. Their lineup, while powerful, isn’t at full strength

Granted, the Blue Jays could get to the World Series thanks in large part to first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s bat going into turbo mode throughout October. Toronto does not lack for punch, even if Dodgers fans will have to familiarize themselves with the likes of infielder Addison Barger, infielder Ernie Clement, catcher Alejandro Kirk and others around him.

Still, this is a group that will not have outfielder Anthony Santander available. Shortstop Bo Bichette hasn’t appeared this postseason. Designated hitter George Springer exited Game 5 early after taking a Bryan Woo fastball to his knee. These are not the fully-functional Blue Jays, which could help as the Dodgers’ starters keep rolling.

Bonus: There will be at least one joke about Ohtani’s air travel to Toronto. (In case people wanted to relive that again.)

3 reasons Dodgers fans should root for the Seattle Mariners

1. There is swing-and-miss to be had

The Dodgers built their pitching staff around missing bats and have done so with aplomb. Their 24.8 percent strikeout rate was the second-highest in the majors, and that rate has remained steady even against postseason competition. The Mariners’ offense has produced slug, but it has also been prone to striking out — Seattle’s 23.3 percent strikeout rate ranked seventh-highest in the big leagues this season. Some of the Mariners’ best hitters, such as Raleigh (26.7 percent), Julio Rodríguez (21.4 percent) and Eugenio Suárez (29.8 percent), have some strikeouts in their offensive profile.

2. Where do things stand with Bryan Woo?

If he were fully healthy, Woo would give the Mariners one of the few starting pitching units comparable to what the Dodgers are poised to throw out there. Logan Gilbert might be one of the most under-appreciated starters in baseball. George Kirby is a strike-throwing machine. Luis Castillo has had some brilliant moments. Even Bryce Miller has shone this October despite an ugly regular season.

Woo threw two innings in relief in Game 5, allowing a run in his first game action since Sept. 19. How built up he is from his pectoral injury will likely be one of the bigger storylines heading into the World Series if the Mariners make it, especially since Woo was by far Seattle’s most consistent starter this regular season.

3. Home-field advantage

This part is simple: If the Blue Jays advance, the Dodgers will have to head to Toronto to start the World Series and cede home-field advantage. If Seattle wins, the Dodgers get to enjoy beginning the series at Dodger Stadium, where they went 52-29 this season. The Mariners have gotten T-Mobile Park rocking this October, but went just 39-42 away from home during the regular season.

The Mariners actually hit better on the road (.776 OPS compared to .702 at home), but their dynamic pitching staff’s production really fell off. They had a 3.28 ERA in the Pacific Northwest and a 4.50 ERA away from it.