Los Angeles Dodgers win World Series for the ages, confirm as Champions

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games to end the thrilling 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series. The Dodgers became the first team to repeat as World Series Champions in 25 years. The 2000 Yankees won three consecutive World Series titles (1998-2000). Before them, the Toronto Blue Jays went back-to-back in 1992 and 1993.

Game Seven, played in front of a raucous crowd of 44,7713 fans at Rogers Centre in Toronto, was an absolute drama.

The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the third when Bo Bichette hit a three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani. They took a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth and came within two outs of the World Series title. Miguel Rojas, who had last appeared against the Seattle Mariners on September 28 and had collected his last hit on September 27, stepped to the box against reliever Jeff Hoffman with one out and Shohei Ohtani on deck. He fouled two pitches on a 2-2 count, looked at a ball, and then crushed the seventh pitch to left field for the game-tying home run. It was his eighth home run of the year, only his 58th in 1,297 MLB games.

In the bottom of the ninth, Blake Snell, Los Angeles' fifth pitcher, allowed a one-out single to Bo Bichette and walked Addison Berger. The Dodgers called Yoshinobu Yamamoto from the bullpen, and the Japanese hurler hit Alejandro Kirk to load the bases, with pinch runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa representing the winning run at third. Daulton Varsho grounded to second baseman Rojas, who stumbled and barely beat Kiner-Faleda at home. It was a close play, and the Blue Jays challenged third-base umpire John Tumpane's call. The video review confirmed the out. With two outs, Ernie Clement got to Yamamoto's first offering, a curveball, and sent a towering fly to left-centre. Centre fielder Ange Pages, who had just replaced Tommy Edman, ran into left fielder Kike Hernandez to get the third out and send the game to extras.

The Dodgers took their first lead of the night in the top of the 11th. Will Smith looked at two balls from Shane Bieber, the seventh Blue Jay to take the mound, then hammared a hanging slider for a solo home run to left field.

Vlad Guerrero Jr. doubled off Yamamoto to lead off the bottom half of the frame. Kiner-Falefa bunted him to third. Yamamoto walked Berger to put runners at the corners. The Japanese star used three pitches to end the game. Alejandro Kirk fouled the first pitch, looked at a curveball Yamamoto threw for the second strike and then grounded to shortstop Mookie Betts, who started the World Series-ending double play.

World Series 2025 results

24 October Blue Jays-Dodgers 11-4
25 October Blue Jays-Dodgers 1-5
27 October Dodgers-Blue Jays 6-5
28 October Dodgers-Blue Jays 2-6
29 October Dodgers-Blue Jays 1-6
31 October Blue Jays-Dodgers 1-3
1 November Blue Jays-Dodgers 4-5

The 2025 World Series became an edition for the ages.

Yamamoto pitched a sensational complete Game Two, becoming the first pitcher to throw consecutive complete games in the postseason since Curt Schilling in 2001.

In a Game Three 18-inning drama, Shohei Ohtani re-wrote history books, going 4-for-4 with two home runs and reaching base nine times.

Yamamoto - a Tokyo 2020 gold medalist, as well as a WBSC Premier12 2019 and 2023 World Baseball Classic winner - earned the World Series MVP honours. He is arguably the most decorated active baseball player.

Cover photo: Los Angeles Dodgers