Yamamoto’s brilliance earns Ohtani’s highest praise as Dodgers repeat

Shohei Ohtani didn’t hesitate to credit his teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto after the Los Angeles Dodgers captured their second consecutive World Series championship on Saturday, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in an 11-inning Game 7 at Rogers Centre. Speaking to Fox Sports, Ohtani said, “I have no idea how he pulled it off … I really believe this. I think he is the No. 1 pitcher in the whole world.”

Yamamoto sealed the Dodgers’ title win with 2⅔ scoreless innings of relief and was named World Series MVP after recording a 1.02 ERA and 15 strikeouts across 17⅔ innings in the series. He also became only the second Japanese-born player in history to earn World Series MVP honors, following Hideki Matsui’s achievement with the New York Yankees in 2009.

Yamamoto’s performance throughout the postseason showcased the poise that made him one of the most coveted international signings in Major League Baseball history. The 27-year-old right-hander, who joined the Dodgers from Japan’s Orix Buffaloes on a 12-year, $325 million contract in 2023, delivered under pressure in each of his appearances.

Entering in the eighth inning of Game 7, he struck out two batters and forced weak contact to escape the jam. He went on to retire eight of nine hitters faced, culminating in a game-ending double play that secured Los Angeles’ second straight title. “I was not sure if I could pitch tonight when I went to the bullpen. But I’m glad I was able to,” Yamamoto said after the game.

Ohtani and Yamamoto, both in their second seasons with Los Angeles, have become the faces of the Dodgers’ championship era. Ohtani, healthy again after elbow surgery sidelined his pitching in 2024, returned as a full two-way threat and key presence in the clubhouse. He hit three home runs and drove in eight runs during the postseason while adding crucial innings on the mound earlier in the playoffs.

With the victory, Los Angeles claimed its ninth World Series championship and its first back-to-back titles since the franchise’s Brooklyn era. The Dodgers are now the first National League team to repeat since the Cincinnati Reds in 1975-76 and the first MLB club overall to do so since the New York Yankees in 1998-2000.