Nov. 1 the Los Angeles Dodgers went back-to-back and became the first team to win consecutive World Series Championships since the Yankees dynasty of 1998-2000. While the Dodgers were heavy favorites to beat the Toronto Blue Jays, their seven-game triumph should not be understated.
While fans of other teams critique the Dodgers for “buying” a championship, Manager Dave Roberts had a clear message: “We’re expected to win.” Fan-favorite super utility man and postseason legend Kiké Hernandez echoed Roberts during his victory speech at Dodgers Stadium, stating the need to recognize the Dodger’s dynasty. One thing is for certain about baseball: success on the biggest stage isn’t guaranteed, even after spending a truckload of money.
Some of the Dodgers’ biggest moments came from the unlikeliest of heroes — an often overlooked factor in a sport dominated by star players. Game 3 was one for the ages, an 18-inning war that culminated in a walk-off homerun by Freddie Freeman — a replica of his walk-off grand slam in last year’s World Series. Freeman got the glory, but reliever Will Klein provided him the opportunity. Klein was the last man available in the bullpen, pitching four innings of shutout ball to save the starting pitchers for the rest of the series. Klein had been left off the roster until the World Series after being acquired by the Dodgers in early June and pitching in Triple-A. Game 3 lasted six hours and 39 minutes — the second longest game in World Series history, only behind Game 3 of the 2018 World Series, where the Dodgers also bested the Red Sox in 18 innings.
Backup infielder Miguel Rojas delivered the biggest swing of his life in Game 7 to save the Dodgers’ season, taking Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman deep on a hanging slider. Rojas had been hitless for the last month; a late addition to the lineup after Roberts decided to shake things up. Hoffman, the loneliest man on earth, stated in postgame media availability that he “cost everybody in here a World Series ring.”
While this World Series allowed myriad unforeseen players to shine on the biggest stage possible, many of the Dodgers’ biggest stars were firing on all cylinders en route to victory. Shohei Ohtani lived up to expectations in his second World Series, slugging his way to a 1.278 OPS and setting a league record by reaching base nine consecutive times in Game 3.
Critics may argue that Ohtani still has to prove himself after he struggled on the mound throughout the series, but even the most virulent Ohtani detractors must acknowledge that his ludicrous résumé just got even better. For those keeping track of the Ohtani versus Babe Ruth debate, it’s worth noting that Ruth only competed as a two-way player for two full seasons. Ohtani just capped his fifth-such season with a World Series trophy.
Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto had the best World Series pitching performance since Madison Bumgarner in 2014. The Cy Young finalist tossed 17.2 innings over the course of a week, going the distance in the second game of the series. He followed that up by pitching on back-to-back nights to help the Dodgers win Games 6 and 7, capturing the World Series crown.
According to Manager Dave Roberts, Yamamoto told him that “losing is not an option” prior to the series. It was thanks to Yamamoto’s herculean efforts that winning was even a possibility.
The Dodgers may have emerged victorious, but that shouldn’t serve to discount the efforts of the Blue Jays, who came tantalizingly close to winning their first championship since 1993. Toronto’s championship push was aided by an absolute murderer’s row of hitters, with two-thirds of the team’s starting lineup averaging an OPS over .800 in the World Series.
Perhaps no Blue Jay deserves more praise than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who lived up to his Hall of Fame father’s reputation by delivering one of the best playoff performances in recent memory. Guerrero Jr. set the record for single-postseason OPS with an astounding 1.289 mark, and would have broken the record for most hits in a single postseason had he not been one-upped by his own teammate in Ernie Clement.
As MLB wraps up another exhilarating season of baseball, a foreboding possibility looms over the league. With the league’s combined bargaining agreement set to expire in December 2026, all eyes will be on the forthcoming negotiations between team owners and the MLB Player’s Association, which could end in a lockout if an agreement isn’t met. The Dodgers’ wanton spending will certainly be a topic of controversy during league negotiations, but one thing is for sure: they’re the only team lifting the trophy.
Contact Mac Ribner at ribner@oxy.edu and Ben Petteruti at petteruti@oxy.edu
