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With their downtown victory parade wrapped, the Los Angeles Dodgers arrived for a rally at their home base in Elysian Park, where fans heard from the team on what it took to secure their mind-blowing World Series title.
The excitement comes from the team’s back-to-back win Saturday night, which is the first time in 25 years that’s happened.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who’s led the team to three World Series titles, said the team was never going to be denied another championship. Now, he said, his eyes are set on a third consecutive win for next season.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, World Series MVP who set up the last out against the Blue Jays as pitcher, told the crowd he loves Los Angeles and that fans won, too. Kiké Hernandez brought even more energy when he likened the Dodger’s repeat success to a dynasty.
Shohei Ohtani also expressed his gratitude. “I’m so proud of this team,” he said. “You guys are the greatest fans in the world. I’m ready to get another ring next year.”
An emotional moment came as Clayton Kershaw spoke to the crowd, thanking the fans for 18 years. This was his final season before retirement.
“Last year, I said I was a Dodger for life, ” he told fans. “Today, that’s true. Today, I get to say that I’m a champion for life. That’s never going away.”
Bonnie Chu, who came from Pomona, said downtown Los Angeles has been transformed into “blue heaven on earth.”
“I was kind of losing hope there in the end, but you know they pulled it off and I should have known they were gonna do it,” Chu said about the team’s World Series victory. She came for the parade last year and had to come back again this year.
“It was so fun,” she said.
Dodgers fan Christine Gennawey drove in from Whittier with her family for the celebrations.
“I’m 70 years old, this really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to see this,” she said.
The Dodgers have come under fire for their response to immigration enforcement raids in Los Angeles. But, Gennawey said, she’s keeping “the politics” outside the festivities today.
“Let’s just have fun and play ball,” she said. “It’s not taking sides because you know it’s already tearing apart families.”
The ticketed event had food, entertainment and plenty of World Series merchandise. Due to street closures, fans were only able to attend either the parade or the stadium celebration.
The rally sold out quickly.
These courthouses in downtown were closed because of the parade, according to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.
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