The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series last year.
Honestly, saying it like that feels way too simple. It doesn't capture the absolute chaos of that November night in Toronto or the fact that we witnessed the first back-to-back champions in a quarter-century. They beat the Toronto Blue Jays in a seven-game slugfest that, quite frankly, probably took five years off the life of every fan involved.
If you're looking for a quick answer to who won the mlb world series last year, it was the Dodgers. They clinched it on November 1, 2025, with a 5-4 victory in 11 innings. But the "how" is where things get weird.
The Game 7 Heart-Stopper at Rogers Centre
Most people expected the Dodgers to roll. I mean, it's the Dodgers. They have Shohei Ohtani and a payroll that looks like a small nation's GDP. But the Blue Jays were two outs away from winning the whole thing. Two. Outs.
Toronto held a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth. The crowd was vibrating. Then, Miguel Rojas—a guy who basically hadn't had a hit in a month—stepped up and launched a game-tying solo home run off Jeff Hoffman. You could literally hear the soul leave the stadium. It was one of those "baseball is cruel" moments that makes you want to throw your remote at the TV.
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Then came the 11th. Will Smith (the catcher, not the actor) hit a solo shot to put LA up 5-4. To close it out? They didn't go to a traditional closer. They went to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who had already pitched a complete game earlier in the series. He induced a double play from Alejandro Kirk to end it.
The Dodgers became the first team to repeat as champions since the 1999–2000 Yankees. That's a huge deal. For 25 years, baseball had this "parity" thing going on where nobody could defend the crown. The Dodgers just broke that.
Why Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the Hero You Should Care About
While Ohtani gets the headlines, Yamamoto was the actual monster of this series. He was named the World Series MVP.
Think about his workload. He notched three wins in a single series. He finished with a 1.02 ERA. In Game 2, he threw a complete game, allowing only one run. That hasn't happened for the Dodgers since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. It was vintage. It was gritty. It was exactly what $325 million is supposed to buy you.
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A Quick Glance at the Series Flow
- Game 1: Blue Jays win 11-4 (Addison Barger hit a historic pinch-hit grand slam).
- Game 2: Dodgers win 5-1 (The Yamamoto masterpiece).
- Game 3: Dodgers win 6-5 in 18 innings. Yeah, 18. It lasted eight hours. Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off.
- Game 4: Blue Jays win 6-2 (Vladimir Guerrero Jr. took Ohtani deep).
- Game 5: Blue Jays win 6-1 (Trey Yesavage, a rookie, absolutely carved up LA).
- Game 6: Dodgers win 3-1 (Back on Yamamoto’s shoulders).
- Game 7: Dodgers win 5-4 in 11 innings.
The "Dynasty" Debate
Is it a dynasty? People are already arguing about it on every sports talk show.
This was the Dodgers' third title in six years (2020, 2024, 2025). They navigated a brutal 22–32 stretch in the middle of the summer where they looked completely lost. Dave Roberts, who usually gets a lot of heat for his postseason managing, finally seemed to push all the right buttons. Using starting pitchers like Blake Snell and Yamamoto out of the bullpen in Game 7 was a gamble that paid off.
On the other side, you have to feel for Toronto. This was their first World Series loss ever. They were perfect in '92 and '93. Coming that close, especially with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. playing like a man possessed (he had 29 hits in the postseason), is going to haunt that franchise for a while.
What This Means for the 2026 Season
Now that we've settled who won the mlb world series last year, the focus shifts to whether anyone can stop the "three-peat."
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The Dodgers aren't slowing down. Their rotation is getting healthier, and the Ohtani effect on the brand is only growing. But the American League is getting faster. Teams like the Mariners and the rebuilt Athletics (now playing in West Sacramento) are starting to close the gap.
If you're looking to track this year's progress, keep an eye on these factors:
- Pitching Health: Can Yamamoto and Glasnow hold up for another 200+ innings?
- The Toronto Revenge Tour: The Blue Jays didn't lose much in the offseason; they’re angry.
- Rule Changes: Keep an eye on any further adjustments to the pitch clock or shift rules that might favor high-contact hitters over home run specialists.
The best way to stay ahead is to check the live standings weekly. Baseball is a long grind, and as the 2025 Dodgers proved, you don't have to be the best team in July to be the last team standing in November.
Keep an eye on the injury reports for the early part of this season, especially for high-usage arms. If you’re betting or playing fantasy, look at the "hangover" effect—teams that go deep into November often struggle with fatigue in April. Focus on teams with fresh rotations for your early-season picks.