A Triumphant Parade and Farewell to a Legend
Los Angeles: Hundreds of thousands of Dodgers fans turned Los Angeles blue on Monday to celebrate the team’s second consecutive World Series victory. A shower of blue confetti enveloped a fleet of open-top buses carrying the players on a slow ride through downtown Los Angeles, two days after their epic victory in the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
A Massive Turnout
Fans began occupying their spots along the route before dawn, lining up in large numbers. Municipal authorities anticipated the crowd to surpass that of last year’s victory parade, when over 200,000 fans lined the streets to cheer on the team.
A Historic Achievement
The Dodgers secured their place in history by becoming the first team this century to win back-to-back World Series titles, defeating the Blue Jays 5-4 in a nail-biting Game 7 on Saturday. This marked their ninth World Series championship and third since 2020, solidifying their status as the modern baseball’s new dynasty.
Looking Ahead: Ohtani and Kershaw
Shohei Ohtani’s Ambitions: The Japanese superstar, who has already won two World Series titles since joining the Dodgers before the start of the 2024 season, expressed his hope to celebrate a third championship in 2026.
“It’s really great to win the championship and be surrounded by all these amazing fans,” Ohtani told Spectrum Sportsnet LA. “I’m already thinking about the third one next year.”
Clayton Kershaw’s Farewell
The veteran pitcher, set to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, announced his retirement towards the end of the regular season after an 18-year tenure with the Dodgers.
“I’m impressed. It’s the perfect way to end,” said Kershaw, 37. “I’m very grateful to these fans. Look at this, it’s even louder than last year.”
“The Dodgers have always meant so much to this city across generations. It’s part of people’s families, and being able to do this in front of them means a lot to me,” he added.
Celebrating Heroes
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Japanese pitcher who was hailed as the World Series MVP for his stellar performance in Game 7, also basked in the applause following his standout game.
“I love being able to share this with my teammates,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter. “I want to thank all my teammates.”
Yamamoto mentioned that he almost couldn’t lift his MVP trophy on Saturday due to its weight.
The Power of Pitching
First baseman Freddie Freeman, who won the MVP award in 2024 against the Yankees, credited the team’s pitching staff for their triumph over Toronto this year.
“We faced every possible obstacle this year,” Freeman said. “At one point, we had our entire starting rotation on the injured list. But when they returned, we leaned on them and took us to the World Series.”
“So all of this is thanks to our starting pitchers,” he affirmed.
Miguel Rojas’ Invaluable Contributions
Venezuelan utility player Miguel Rojas, 36, received praise for his game-tying home run in the ninth inning and crucial defensive play that prevented the Blue Jays from securing victory.
“He saved our season with his glove, he saved our season with his bat,” said Dodgers outfielder Kike Hernandez about Rojas. “I’m glad he’s on our team.”
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the Los Angeles Dodgers? The Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League West division.
- What is the significance of their recent World Series wins? The Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series titles in 2025 and 2026, making them the first team to achieve this feat in the 21st century and solidifying their status as a dominant force in modern baseball.
- Who are some key players mentioned in the article? Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Freddie Freeman, and Miguel Rojas are all prominent Dodgers players highlighted for their contributions to the team’s recent success.
