Dodgers Win Second Straight World Series
The Los Angeles Dodgers have claimed their second straight World Series crown, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in a seven-game thriller that gripped the nation. Dave Roberts’ squad, led by two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, joins a rarefied group of teams to win consecutive Fall Classics—the first to do so in 25 years.
But for one electric night in Toronto, the Blue Jays made the impossible feel possible.
Roberts on Cloud Nine
“I’ve never been more proud of a group of guys that are standing behind me right now. They persevered against all adversity,” Roberts said. “We started out in Tokyo and we ended up in Canada. So, these guys are back-to-back champions.”
Roberts’ tactical brilliance in the final two games was undeniable. Moving Miguel Rojas to second base, he orchestrated the double play that sealed Game 6 and later witnessed Rojas’ solo homer in the ninth inning of Game 7 tie the game and send it into extra innings. “I can look at every single one of these guys. I’m looking at Tyler [Glasnow] right now. I trust him. Blake [Snell], I trust him. Miggy Ro, I trust him. I trust every single one of those guys. I love them because they trust me,” Roberts said, beaming.
Will Smith Wins It
The stadium held its breath. The landing spot was familiar, almost poetic, but as Will Smith rounded the bases after his top-of-the-11th home run off Shane Bieber, the prevailing sound was stunned silence. The Dodgers had struck first in extra innings, breaking the Jays’ hearts and cementing their dynasty with a 5-4 victory.
Smith’s homer was historic—the first extra-inning, winner-take-all home run in World Series history—but the night also belonged to Miguel Rojas, who tied the game with a solo shot in the ninth off Jays usual dependable closer Jeff Hoffman. And let’s not forget Yoshinobu Yamamoto, pitching on zero days’ rest, stranding the tying run at third to close the door on Toronto’s final chance.
Freddie Freeman captured the emotion perfectly: “That was baseball at its most exhausting—and most beautiful. You dream of moments like this, but you never imagine they’ll last until 2 a.m.” Meanwhile, Yamamoto celebrated the championship with his simple, ecstatic declaration: “IT’S OVER! IT’S OVER!”
Is This Hockey?
Tempers flared in the bottom of the fourth inning as Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski and Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Andrés Giménez clashed on the mound.
Wrobleski’s first two pitches came high and inside, and the second one struck Giménez’s hand. The Blue Jays infielder’s frustration was immediate—he jabbered back at Wrobleski as he made his way toward first base. Wrobleski didn’t back down, responding with his own heated words.
The confrontation drew players from both dugouts and bullpens, a wave of intensity rippling across the field. Wrobleski was restrained as he was ushered back to the mound, while Giménez continued his march toward first, seething.
Umpire Jordan Baker stepped in, issuing warnings to both teams. No ejections were handed out, and the Dodgers eventually turned to Tyler Glasnow to relieve Wrobleski and close the inning.
The Underdogs Who Couldn’t Be Denied
Who could ask for anything more? After 162 grueling regular-season games and three punishing playoff rounds, the 2025 World Series came down to a single, nerve-shredding night. The Dodgers: All-Stars, media icons, American prime-time royalty. The Blue Jays: scrappy underdogs, overlooked by pundits and doubted by many.
But for nine innings—and then two more in extras—Toronto proved they belonged. Every pitch felt like a seismic event. Every defensive play sparked cheers that rattled the dome. You could almost hear the ghosts of 1993 whispering, “Touch ’em all, Joe,” as if Rogers Centre itself remembered the glory of old.
Kevin Gausman reflected on the high-stakes intensity: “There’s a lot of really good pitchers in this series, so that’s probably what you’re going to see… It’s the best against the best. So it was fun to be a part of for sure.”
Playing Through Pain, Playing for Each Other
This team wasn’t about stats or headlines. When Bo Bichette limped through a crucial at-bat on one leg, when George Springer fought through a flaring back, it wasn’t ego—it was loyalty. They were a band of brothers: young guns, minor-league grinders, and veteran journeymen swinging one last time for greatness. No “Core Four.” Just a real team.
Toronto manager John Schneider summed up the grind of the season: “This job is hard. This job takes reps, it takes messing up, it takes having success to get to where you are… I feel like I’ve evolved a ton in just three years on this job.”
From Last Place to National Pride
A year ago, this club flirted with the bottom of the standings, dismissed by pundits, sighed at by fans. But baseball, like life, has a way of rewriting expectations.
Toronto stunned the mighty Yankees, battled the relentless Mariners, and in doing so, captured a nation’s imagination. From Vancouver to Halifax, Canadians stayed up late, huddled in living rooms, pubs, and downtown squares. For one night, baseball didn’t feel like an American export. It felt Canadian.
A Clash of Titans
The Dodgers were everything the Jays weren’t: polished, star-studded, primed for television. But that contrast made Toronto’s fight all the more thrilling. Game 7 was a cultural clash: Hollywood perfection versus scrappy Canadian grit. And the Blue Jays pushed them to the very edge.
Final Thoughts
The scoreboard read 5-4 for Los Angeles. But it doesn’t capture the spirit of a city rising as one, of every pitch hanging like a heartbeat, of hope that lingered until the final out. The 2025 Blue Jays weren’t supposed to be here. They weren’t supposed to challenge giants. But they did. And in doing so, they gave Canadians something more enduring than a trophy: pride.
by Myles Shane
photo by Toronto Blue Jays
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