Honestly, if you missed the final out of the 2025 World Series, you missed the moment baseball finally entered its next era. We’ve spent years talking about super-teams, "Ohtani-mania," and whether the Los Angeles Dodgers could actually sustain a dynasty under the crushing weight of their own payroll. On November 1, 2025, at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, we got our answer.
The Los Angeles Dodgers won.
It wasn't a blowout. It wasn't easy. It was an 11-inning, Game 7 heart-stopper that felt more like a street fight than a ballgame. When Yoshinobu Yamamoto induced that final double play from Alejandro Kirk, the Dodgers officially became the first team in 25 years to pull off back-to-back titles.
The Hero Nobody Expected (But Everyone Should Have)
When we think about who wins World Series matchups, we usually look at the guys hitting 450-foot nukes. But this series belonged to the arms. Specifically, one arm that seems built in a lab for October.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto didn't just win the MVP; he essentially broke the Blue Jays' spirit. The guy threw a complete-game gem in Game 2. Then, after throwing 96 pitches in a Game 6 start just 24 hours prior, he emerged from the bullpen in the 9th inning of Game 7.
It was pure insanity.
Dave Roberts basically bet the entire season on Yamamoto's recovery time. Most managers wouldn't dream of putting their Game 6 starter back on the mound for the high-leverage innings of Game 7. But Yamamoto isn't most pitchers. He churned through 2.2 innings of relief, throwing 92-mph splitters that looked like they were falling off a table.
The Turning Point in Game 7
Toronto was two outs away from their first title since 1993. The Rogers Centre was vibrating. Seriously, the noise was so loud the broadcast cameras were literally shaking. Then, Miguel Rojas—a guy known more for his glove than his bat—stepped up and sent a solo shot into the seats to tie it.
The air just left the building.
By the time Will Smith crushed the go-ahead home run in the 11th, you could feel the momentum shift. The Blue Jays had the home-field advantage and a better regular-season record, but the Dodgers had the "been there, done that" energy that defines a dynasty.
Why This World Series Was Different
We see a lot of "predictable" wins in sports. This wasn't that. The 2025 World Series was a chaotic mess of records and "firsts" that kept everyone guessing.
- The 18-Inning Marathon: Game 3 became the second-longest game in World Series history. Freddie Freeman, doing Freddie Freeman things, hit a walk-off home run for the second consecutive year in the Fall Classic.
- Shohei’s Sacrifice: Ohtani was a nightmare for Toronto, but not just at the plate. He actually started two games as a pitcher, including Game 4. He drew four intentional walks in Game 3 alone. Toronto was terrified of him, and that fear created openings for the rest of the lineup.
- The Pinch-Hit Slam: In Game 1, Addison Barger hit the first pinch-hit grand slam in the history of the World Series. It gave Toronto an early lead that made everyone think the Dodgers were finally vulnerable.
Analyzing the "Winning" Blueprint
So, how does a team actually win it all in this modern landscape? The Dodgers didn't just buy a trophy; they managed their roster with surgical precision.
Toronto’s bullpen actually looked better on paper for much of the series. They had Shane Bieber coming out of the pen and Kevin Gausman leading the rotation. But the Dodgers utilized "cWPA" (Championship Win Probability Added) better than anyone. They knew exactly when to pull a struggling starter and when to let a guy like Will Klein—who was left off the NLCS roster—pitch four scoreless innings in an 18-inning emergency.
It's about depth.
When Mookie Betts struggled to find his rhythm (hitting just .138 for the series), the Dodgers didn't collapse. They leaned on Teoscar Hernández and Max Muncy. They relied on Will Smith catching all 73 innings of the series despite a fractured hand earlier in the fall. That’s the grit people forget when they look at a $300 million roster.
Key Takeaways for the 2026 Season
If you're looking at who wins World Series titles in the future, the 2025 Dodgers just provided the template. You need a "super-utility" pitching staff where starters are willing to close and relievers are ready for four-inning stints.
The Blue Jays shouldn't hang their heads. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was a monster, earning the ALCS MVP and carrying that momentum into a great World Series performance. They proved they belong at the top of the American League, but they ran into a buzzsaw that happens once every few decades.
What to do next:
- Watch the tape: Go back and look at Yamamoto’s splitter in the 11th inning of Game 7. It’s a masterclass in tunneling.
- Track the injuries: Keep an eye on Will Smith’s hand recovery; catching that many innings on a recently healed fracture is the kind of thing that lingers.
- Monitor the AL East: Toronto is now the team to beat in the American League, and their off-season moves will likely focus on finding that one "shutdown" arm to match the Dodgers' depth.
The 2025 season is in the books, but the "Dodger Dynasty" conversation is just getting started. Nine titles in franchise history, two in a row, and a core that doesn't look like it's slowing down.