The Dodgers steal Game 7 in extras to repeat as World Series champs - ESPN
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Alden Gonzalez
Nov 2, 2025, 04:46 PM
ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.
TORONTO -- The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their second consecutive World Series title in dramatic fashion, with a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night. It was a hard-fought battle, with the Dodgers pulling out all the stops to secure their place in history.
The turning point came in the top of the ninth inning. With the game tied, Miguel Rojas cranked a home run off Jeff Hoffman, setting the stage for a dramatic finish. Rojas' stellar defensive play in the bottom half of the inning saved the game, and the Dodgers' Will Smith sealed the deal in extra innings.
Smith's solo home run in the top of the 11th inning gave the Dodgers their first lead of the game, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto finished off the Blue Jays in the bottom half, securing the win. The Dodgers became the first team in a quarter-century to repeat as World Series champions, and it took everything they had to get there.
The Dodgers' starting pitchers -- Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Yamamoto -- all pitched crucial innings, and Rojas and Smith delivered huge hits. Yamamoto's performance was particularly notable, as he induced a critical double-play ball, which sealed the win.
For his efforts throughout the series, Yamamoto was named World Series MVP. The Dodgers' star-studded rotation dominated opposing hitters with a 2.07 ERA in September, and they continued their strong performance in October, breezing past the Cincinnati Reds, outlasting the Philadelphia Phillies, and sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers to reach the World Series for the fifth time in nine years.
The Dodgers' road to the championship was more arduous than anticipated. They suffered a litany of injuries throughout their starting rotation and struggled with a bullpen that couldn't consistently get outs. Their star-studded offense slumped around midseason, and they finished with just 93 wins, barely holding off the San Diego Padres in the division.
However, the Dodgers' rotation rounded into form in September, and they dominated opposing hitters with a 2.07 ERA. This strong performance continued into October, as they breezed past the Cincinnati Reds, outlasted the Philadelphia Phillies, and swept the Milwaukee Brewers to reach the World Series.
The Blue Jays, on the other hand, posed a significant challenge. They won Game 1 by bludgeoning the Dodgers' middle relievers, accumulating nine runs in the sixth inning. But Yamamoto answered with a masterpiece in Game 2, throwing a complete game, and Freddie Freeman ended an 18-inning marathon in Game 3 with a walk-off homer.
When the Blue Jays cruised to a Game 4 win and took Game 5 with a dominant performance by Trey Yesavage, the Dodgers were forced to win back-to-back games in Toronto to claim the title. They proved up for the challenge, and their resilience was on full display.
In the ninth inning of Game 6, the Blue Jays had two on with none out and trailed by two runs, but Enrique Hernandez made a crucial catch and threw to second base, where Rojas fielded a one-hopper to complete a game-ending double play. In Game 7, Rojas again stepped up, breaking through with a home run to give the Dodgers the lead.
The final play was a 6-3 double play from Mookie Betts to Freeman, halting the Blue Jays' final rally and making the Dodgers kings of the sport once more. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
