New champion LA Dodgers with big plans for Japan

It all looked as if the World Series would be decided in Los Angeles – in a sixth or even seventh game. The New York Yankees were down 3-1 in the final series, but they had a clear 5-0 lead at home in this fifth game. And no team had ever given up such a lead in a match in the final series where the title was at stake.

LA Dodgers achieve breathtaking comeback

But then came the fifth inning. First, Yankees star Aaron Judge dropped a simple ball in defense, then pitcher Gerrit Cole missed first base. The broadcast TV station Fox Sports spoke of a “horrible defense by the Yankees,” which allowed the Dodgers to shorten the score to 1:5.

When the fifth inning ended, the guests had even equalized to 5:5. Dodgers professional Teoscar Hernandez emphasized that every mistake the Yankees made was taken advantage of. Because you simply put the ball into play – and if you put the ball into play, then something could happen. And so they scored five runs in that inning, Hernandez said.

The Dodgers ultimately won 7-6 and became champions for the eighth time with their fourth and decisive victory in the World Series. While the guests cheered at Yankees Stadium, New York manager Aaron Boone was annoyed about the fifth inning. He spoke of “some costly mistakes” in that inning. Things like that happen, things like that hurt, but, according to Boone, that’s just part of baseball.

It was quite a surprise that this much-hyped final duel was decided in just five games. The country and the league had hoped for a longer and somewhat more exciting World Series.

Ohtani hype: MLB will open in Tokyo next season

For Shohei Ohtani it was his first title in his first year with the Dodgers. The Japanese had previously played for the neighboring Los Angeles Angels for six years – but always missed the playoffs with them. In December, he signed the largest contract in sports history with the Dodgers for 10 years and $700 million – and he had an outstanding season. What Ohtani has done for the club “nationally and internationally” is probably “not measurable,” said his coach, Dave Roberts.

But there are already a few reliable figures. In Japan, an average of 15.15 million people watched the first two final games – not only was this a new record for the MLB playoffs in Ohtani’s homeland, but it was also almost 700,000 more fans than in the USA.

Ohtani explained: “I met so many fans at home and away games who told me that they came from Japan to see me play. That gave me a lot of motivation during this long season.” In any case, the league wants to exploit the hype surrounding the 30-year-old. After opening this season in Seoul, South Korea, the Dodgers will play in Tokyo to start the 2025 season.