The Los Angeles Dodgers are 2025 World Series Champions, again — and they did it the hard way, storming back on the road to beat the Blue Jays 5–4 in 11 innings in Toronto. Will Smith delivered the decisive blast in the 11th, the first extra-inning homer ever hit in a winner-take-all World Series game, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto slammed the door on zero days’ rest to lock up World Series MVP.
A Game 7 You’ll Tell Your Kids About
This one had everything: swings, counters, and the kind of stress that shrinks fingernails. The Dodgers trailed late, but Miguel Rojas stepped up in the 9th inning and tied it with a solo shot — the first game-tying HR in the ninth inning of a World Series Game 7 in MLB history. That set the stage for Smith’s legend-making 11th-inning bomb and a pile of blue jerseys at home plate moments later.
Will Smith, Cold-Blooded
Smith has been a steady metronome for L.A. for years, but this was a career moment: a clutch, no-doubt swing that quieted 40,000+ in Toronto and sent the Dodgers’ dugout into orbit. Final tally: Dodgers 5, Blue Jays 4 — ballgame, dynasty talk unlocked.
Yamamoto’s MVP on Sheer Will
Signed to be that guy, Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered an all-timer of a Series: three wins, a microscopic ERA, and the fearless decision to grab the ball again the night after pitching. He navigated the most stressful outs of the season to end it — and took home World Series MVP for his trouble. (Fun bit of history: he’s the first pitcher to win three games in a single World Series since Randy Johnson in 2001.)
How L.A. Flipped the Script
The Jays had the momentum and the building. L.A. had resilience, depth, and a dugout that never blinked. Trailing in the ninth? Tie it. On the ropes in extras? Win it. Dave Roberts pushed the right buttons with his bullpen, the defense held at the edges, and the stars — from Mookie Betts to Shohei Ohtani — kept the pressure on every plate appearance. (Betts started the title-clinching double play to finish it — chef’s kiss.)
Respect to Toronto
Tip your cap. Toronto was a problem all series. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette were tough outs, the pitching stacked quality innings, and the ballpark energy was elite. It took historic swings for the Dodgers to break through — and they found them.
What This Means in Dodger Blue
Make room on the mantle. Back-to-back titles for the first time in 25 years (league-wide), and the Dodgers’ third championship in six seasons. This group has lived through heartbreaks and hot takes — and now they’ve authored a signature, on-the-road Game 7 that cements a modern dynasty. Parade down Figueroa incoming; L.A., hydrate now. Can we make it back to back to back?