The 2025 Major League Baseball season ends in historic fashion
By EMMIA J RIVERA— sports@theaggie.org
For baseball fans worldwide, October is the most exciting month of the year. As the 162-game grind finally comes to a close, the stakes heighten for every player’s childhood dream of hoisting the World Series trophy.
In a showdown for the history books, the Los Angeles Dodgers surpassed the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings, securing the franchise’s eighth overall title and second consecutive championship. The Dodgers and Blue Jays traded strikes all series long in the best-of-seven games, featuring patient swings, clutch defensive plays and late-game heroics.
The Blue Jays reached the World Series after securing the American League title, fueled by their young core and lineup — led by power-hitters Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Addison Barger and Bo Bichette.
The Dodgers advanced from the National League thanks to a deep roster, featuring two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, dependable pitching and an offense that had proven itself in the postseason; the stage was set for a legendary showdown.
The series started just north of the Canadian border, where the Blue Jays stunned the reigning champs in an 11-4 blowout — powered by heavy offense and a strong bullpen.
The Dodgers responded in Game 2 behind the arm of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, signed from Japan earlier this year, who threw a complete game. His pitching was paired with his teammates’ timely at-bats, capitalizing on runners in scoring position. The 5-1 win evened out the series on the road, before heading home to Los Angeles.
Back at Dodger Stadium, Game 3 became the longest World Series game in over a decade, totaling a whopping 6 hours and 39 minutes: an 18-inning game. Both teams burned through their bullpens and dug deep, but the game was ultimately decided in a walk-off home run by Dodgers legend Freddie Freeman. The series was then controlled by the Dodgers, who held a 2-1 lead.
Games 4 and 5, still in Los Angeles, were dominated by the Blue Jays, who fought back into contention, defeating the Dodgers twice in a row. In Game 4, the Jays took a 6-2 win following a punctual two-run Guerrero home run and a four-run seventh inning that sealed the win over the Dodgers’ short-handed bullpen, evening out the series again by 2-2.
Game 5 ended in a 6-1 victory that pushed the Blue Jays’ advantage even further. They set the tone early in the game by hitting two home runs in the first three pitches. Rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage, who was pulled up to the major leagues less than two months ago, shut down the Dodgers’ offense with 12 strikeouts and zero walks to seal the game.
After three games in Los Angeles, the Blue Jays led 3-2 back in Toronto and were a win away from seizing their first title since 1993.
Facing elimination, the Dodgers once again turned to their ace, Yamamoto, who delivered a series-saving performance. The right-hander threw seven shutout innings, while allowing only five hits. Offense from both teams was limited to a third-inning triumph, and was held to a score of 3-1 following a game-saving double-play by Dodger veterans Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas, sending the World Series to Game 7.
The last game of the season had Ohtani start on the mound for the Dodgers on short rest, allowing a three-run home run to Bichette for an early 3-0 lead for the Blue Jays in the third inning. The Dodgers cut the lead to 3-1 with a sacrifice fly ball in the fourth, then to 3-2 in the sixth; however, the Blue Jays’ astounding offense brought the difference back to two runs with a hard shot hit to the outfield in the bottom of the sixth.
The score stayed at 4-2 until the top of the eighth, when another Dodgers veteran, Max Muncy, hit a long ball to deep right field to bring the score back within one. Both teams and fans all over the world were on the edge of their seats, gearing up for the last inning of the game.
The Dodgers were brought back into the contest at the top of the ninth with a miracle home run by Rojas, tying it up at four and pressuring the Blue Jays to fight back. Yamamoto was brought back to pitch for the Dodgers, and, with the help of his relentless defense, escaped a bases-loaded jam at the bottom of the ninth.
The 10th inning was scoreless from both sides, but with two outs at the top of the 11th, Dodgers catcher Will Smith delivered a tie-breaking home run to take LA’s first lead of the night, 5-4.
Guerrero crushed a ball to deep left field with no outs, and was advanced by a sacrifice bunt in the Jays’ attempt to come back in the game, with a runner on third and one out. A walk added to the hope for Toronto, but it was not enough: a game-ending double-play to shortstop Mookie Betts secured the game for the Dodgers.
The game was over and the victory sealed — walked off in extra innings and behind the Japanese phenom that is Yamamoto — cementing The Dodgers’ legacy and making history. The Los Angeles Dodgers are now the first team to win back-to-back World Series titles since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.
Written By: Emmía J Rivera— sports@theaggie.org
