Former Cubs first-round pick broke Blue Jays fans’ hearts in World Series Game 3

There were essentially two baseball games played in Game 3 of the World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the teams played 18 innings before Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run for the Dodgers to give them a 2-1 lead in the series. While all eyes were on the heroic efforts of Dodgers' reliever Will Klein, who threw four shutout innings after Los Angeles' bullpen was emptied, it was a former Cubs' first-round pick who took the loss for the Blue Jays.

Brendon Little was drafted by the Cubs in the first round of the 2017 draft, but he would only come to make one Major League appearance with the North Siders. It was a forgetful debut for Little in 2022, giving up 3 runs on 2 hits in less than an inning of work.

At the start of the 2023 offseason, Little was traded to the Blue Jays for cash considerations and has since emerged as a dependable reliever. Little posted a 3.74 ERA in 49 appearances in his first full season in the majors in 2024, and followed that up with a 3.03 ERA this past season in 79 appearances.

Of course, he will now be remembered for his part in Game 3 between the Blue Jays and Dodgers on Monday night. Facing Freeman in what was his second inning of work, the Dodgers' first baseman added another World Series moment to his ledger.

Once-forgotten Cub becomes symbol of Blue Jays’ World Series pain

As the Cubs enter an offseason where they will likely make several moves to their bullpen, the stories of Klein and Little are a reminder that sometimes, the heroes of the relief unit are not the pitchers making the most money.

In Klein's case, he spent most of the year at the Triple-A level in the Seattle Mariners' organization before landing in the Dodgers' bullpen to close out the season. That's not to say that the Cubs will go entirely cheap to complete the turnover from their 2025 bullpen, but this World Series has been a reminder that depth is certainly needed.