The Dodgers made a comeback to win 5-4 against the Blue Jays, clinching the World Series Game 7 and successfully defending their title.

The decisive Game 7 of the 2025 Major League Baseball World Series continued on November 2nd Beijing time at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The Los Angeles Dodgers secured victory over the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4, powered by key homers from Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas, and Will Smith late in the game, along with Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s solid relief performance—2.2 innings pitched with just one hit allowed and no runs. This win gave the Dodgers a 4-3 series triumph, making them the first team in the 21st century and the first in nearly 25 years to successfully defend the World Series title. Yamamoto, who posted a 3-0 record with a 1.02 ERA in the Series, was named the World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Shohei Ohtani, who had 4 hits in 8 at-bats against Max Scherzer in his career, took advantage of a changeup from Scherzer with a 1-2 count in the first inning to hit a single to right-center field. Will Smith then hit a ground ball, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. displayed Gold Glove-level defense by making a diving catch and throwing to Scherzer for a double play, though Ohtani advanced to second base. Freddie Freeman followed with a fly ball to advance the runner, but Mookie Betts failed to break through the Blue Jays’ defense, leaving runners stranded at third base.

After only three days of rest, Shohei Ohtani started as the Dodgers’ pitcher today. In the first inning against George Springer, Ohtani struggled with control over the first three pitches, missing the strike zone consecutively. After adjusting, his fastball was hit by Springer for a single over the shortstop. Facing the second batter Nathan Lukes, Ohtani’s breaking balls were still a bit erratic, but he managed to strike him out swinging at a critical moment. Then against Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ohtani struck him out with a fastball. The Blue Jays then attempted a tactic, but Springer was caught in a rundown between bases due to a possible misread signal, resulting in an unusual three-up, three-down inning.

Scherzer quickly found his rhythm in the second inning, striking out Max Muncy with just five pitches. Although Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman hit strong fly balls afterward, none resulted in hits, and the half-inning ended smoothly.

Ohtani had a rough start to the bottom of the second inning, first issuing a walk to Bo Bichette, then Addison Barger took advantage of a low breaking ball to hit a single to right field. Facing a runners-on situation, Ohtani induced Alejandro Kirk to pop out near first base and Dalton Varsho to fly out to right field. Although Ernie Clement hit an opposite-field single, Bichette’s knee injury limited his running, resulting in a bases-loaded scenario. Ohtani then struck out Andrés Giménez to escape the jam once again.

After pitching the first two innings, Scherzer maintained his dominance in the third, retiring the Dodgers in order with eight pitches. During the bottom half, a delay caused by Ohtani’s longer preparation time led to a protest from Blue Jays manager John Schneider, though no warning or penalty was issued.

As play resumed, Springer continued his hot streak, hitting a single to left field despite physical discomfort. The Blue Jays then employed a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to second. Ohtani threw a wild pitch allowing the runner to reach third. The Dodgers’ coaching staff chose to intentionally walk Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but when facing Bichette, Ohtani’s slider was hit for a three-run homer to center field. Ohtani was pulled after pitching only 2.1 innings, giving up five hits and three runs, with two walks and three strikeouts. Justin Wrobleski relieved him, allowing a hit to Barger but retiring the next two batters without trouble.

The Dodgers immediately responded in the fourth inning. Will Smith hit a long ball to center field, followed by Freeman’s single to load the bases with runners on first and third. Scherzer struck out Betts but then battled Muncy for seven pitches before walking him to force in a run and load the bases again. Hernández’s fly ball to center was caught by Varsho diving, but the Dodgers scored a run on a sacrifice fly. Edman’s hard line drive was caught by Guerrero’s spectacular play, limiting the Dodgers to just one run that inning.

In the fifth inning, Scherzer continued pitching. After striking out Enrique Hernández, a slider down the middle was hit by Rojas for a single. The Blue Jays’ coaching staff then decided to change pitchers, bringing in Louis Varland to face Ohtani. Upon returning to the plate, Ohtani took advantage of the pitching change to break through the Blue Jays’ infield defense, but subsequent batters failed to capitalize, and the Dodgers came away empty-handed. In the next half-inning, Glasnow allowed a single to Kirk after two outs but handled the rest steadily, retiring Varsho on a ground ball.

Facing the Blue Jays’ third pitcher Chris Bassitt, the Dodgers took advantage of a walk to Betts, a hit by Muncy, and a ground ball from Hernández to set up runners on first and third with a great scoring opportunity. Edman then demonstrated solid fundamentals by hitting to center field, allowing Betts to score the team’s second run.

After conceding a run, the Blue Jays quickly responded. Clement reached base with a hit, then stole second base exploiting a Dodgers defensive error. Originally intending to bunt for a hit, Giménez switched to a normal swing and successfully sent the ball into the gap in right-center field, adding another run for the Blue Jays.

In the seventh inning, the Blue Jays brought in Trey Yesavage, their starter from Games 1 and 5, for relief. After only two days of rest, Yesavage’s control was shaky. He immediately walked Ohtani but managed to settle down, retiring Smith on a fly ball and inducing a double play off Freeman’s ground ball to escape the inning unscathed.

Yesavage continued pitching in the eighth inning, first retiring Betts before giving up a solo home run to Muncy on a misplaced forkball to right field. The Blue Jays then brought in closer Jeff Hoffman to stabilize the situation, who got Edman to ground out.

In the bottom of the eighth, the hot-hitting Clement connected on a high fastball from Shane and hit a double to left-center field. The Dodgers brought in Blake Snell for relief, who first got Giménez to pop out on a strong line drive, then struck out Springer with a well-executed pitch sequence, and finally struck out pinch hitter Davis Schneider with a breaking ball to hold the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Enrique Hernández struck out swinging against Hoffman’s breaking ball. Rojas, after a seven-pitch battle, hit an inside slider for a solo home run to left field, tying the game for the Dodgers.

In the bottom of the ninth, Guerrero hit a deep fly ball to center field off Snell that fell short of a home run. Bichette singled to left field and was replaced by Isiah Kiner-Falefa as a pinch runner. After a nine-pitch duel, Barger was walked, prompting the Dodgers to bring in starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto for relief.

Upon entering, Yamamoto hit Kirk with a pitch, loading the bases with one out. Facing Varsho’s ground ball, second baseman Rojas calmly threw home to complete a crucial out. Then Clement hit a deep fly ball to center field, and after a collision between Andy Pages and Enrique Hernández, the catch was made safely, sending the game into extra innings.

In the tenth inning, the Blue Jays brought in reliever Seranthony Domínguez. After one out, Betts walked, Muncy singled, and Hernández walked to load the bases. However, Pages hit a ground ball toward shortstop that was thrown home for an out, and Enrique Hernández grounded out to end the threat.

In the bottom of the tenth, Yamamoto continued pitching, retiring Giménez, Springer, and Myles Straw consecutively on 13 pitches.

In the top of the eleventh, the Blue Jays brought in reliever Shane Bieber, who quickly retired Rojas and Ohtani on three pitches each, but Smith hit a slider down the middle for a go-ahead home run.

In the bottom of the eleventh, Yamamoto kept pitching. The Dodgers switched to a defensive lineup including Kim Hoo-sung, making his World Series debut. Guerrero hit an inside fastball for a long single to left field, and Kiner-Falefa successfully executed a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third. Yamamoto then walked Barger to load the bases with runners on first and third, before inducing Kirk to ground out to the infield. Betts tagged second base and threw to first to complete the game-ending double play.

The Dodgers ultimately won the game 5-4, successfully defending their World Series title. The last team to achieve back-to-back championships was the New York Yankees, who completed a three-peat from 1998 to 2000. In MLB history, only 14 teams have won at least two consecutive titles, with the Yankees holding six of those and setting a record with five straight from 1949 to 1953.