The dust has finally settled. If you were looking for who's left in the baseball playoffs, the answer is officially "nobody" because the Los Angeles Dodgers just finished cementing a dynasty.
It wasn't easy. Honestly, for a minute there in late October, it looked like the Toronto Blue Jays were going to pull off the unthinkable and bring the Commissioner's Trophy north of the border for the first time since 1993. But after a grueling seven-game slugfest that wrapped up on November 1, 2025, the Dodgers emerged as back-to-back champions.
They are the eighth franchise in MLB history to repeat. That's a big deal.
The 2025 World Series Breakdown
The matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays was basically a collision of two completely different philosophies. You had the Dodgers with their high-priced superstars and "win-now" pressure, and the Blue Jays with a relentless, contact-heavy lineup that led the majors in on-base percentage.
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It went the distance. Seven games.
The turning point? Most fans will point to Game 3 at Dodger Stadium. It was a six-hour, 39-minute marathon that didn't end until the 18th inning. Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run at 2:00 a.m. local time. That game alone used 18 different pitchers. If you stayed up for that, you've probably still got the eye bags to prove it.
How the Bracket Shook Out
Before we got to the Fall Classic, the playoff field was crowded with some surprising names. Here's a look at the path the final teams took:
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- American League Championship Series (ALCS): The Blue Jays took down the Seattle Mariners in seven games. Seattle was the feel-good story of the year, making their first ALCS appearance in 24 years, but Toronto's depth was just too much.
- National League Championship Series (NLCS): This was a total mismatch. The Dodgers swept the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0. Milwaukee had the better regular-season record (97 wins to the Dodgers' 93), but L.A. played like a team that had been there before.
- The Early Exits: Some big names didn't even make it past the first round. The New York Yankees fell to Toronto in the Division Series, and the Philadelphia Phillies were bounced by the Dodgers in four games.
Why the Dodgers Won Again
The MVP of the series was Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The guy was a machine. He notched three wins in the World Series alone and finished with a tiny 1.02 ERA. In Game 2, he threw a complete game—the first time a Dodgers pitcher has done that in the World Series since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.
Shohei Ohtani also did Ohtani things. In that 18-inning Game 3, he went 4-for-4 with two homers and five walks. He reached base in all nine of his plate appearances. It's the kind of stat line that looks like a video game glitch.
Toronto didn't go down without a fight, though. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. set a new franchise record with seven home runs during the 2025 postseason. Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk were also huge, but their bullpen eventually ran out of gas in Game 7.
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What's Next for the MLB Postseason?
Now that we know who's left in the baseball playoffs—which is essentially just the Dodgers holding a trophy—the focus shifts to the 2026 season.
The 2026 schedule is already out. The regular season starts earlier than ever on March 25, 2026. The San Francisco Giants will host the New York Yankees for a standalone night game to kick things off.
If you're already looking ahead to the 2026 playoffs, those are scheduled to begin on September 29, 2026. We're also getting the return of the "Field of Dreams" game in August, featuring the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Check the 2026 Calendar: Since the season starts in March, Spring Training is right around the corner. If you're planning a trip to Arizona or Florida, book your hotels now before prices spike.
- Watch the Waiver Wire: Now that the playoffs are over, the "hot stove" season begins. Keep an eye on the Mariners and Brewers; both teams showed they are just one or two pieces away from a pennant.
- Review the Stats: If you're a bettor or a fantasy nerd, look at the 2025 postseason contact rates. The Blue Jays proved that high-contact, low-strikeout teams are making a comeback against the "three true outcomes" style of play.
The 2025 postseason was one of the most competitive in years, with only two sweeps in the entire bracket. It was exhausting, but for Dodgers fans, it was worth every late night.