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Tag: Freddie Freeman

  • Shohei Ohtani Named MLB’s No. 1 Player for Fourth Time

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    For the fourth time in his career, MLB Network named Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers DH/SP, as the No. 1 player in baseball right now

    The accolades never seem to end for Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers DH/SP.

    MLB Network named Ohtani, a four-time MVP, as the best player in baseball for the fourth time in his career. Ohtani was the No. 1 player heading in 2022 and 2023, before losing to Atlanta Braves OF Ronald Acuna Jr. in 2024, but then reclaimed it in 2025 and now 2026.

    Ohtani has been with the Dodgers since he signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the club on Dec. 11, 2023, where he has won back-to-back World Series with Los Angeles.

    Across 158 games in 2025, Ohtani slashed .278/.392/.622 with a league-leading 1.014 OPS and 179 OPS+, 55 home runs, 102 RBIs, and a 7.5 fWAR at designated hitter. On the mound, Ohtani pitched 47.0 innings across 14 starts, with a 1-1 record, 2.87 ERA, an 11.87 K/9 and 1.72 BB/9. These numbers earned Ohtani his second consecutive National League MVP award.

    During the Dodgers playoff run, Shohei won NLCS MVP for his performance against the Milwaukee Brewers, capped off with a three home run game at the plate and 6.0 IP, zero runs, two hits, three walks and 10 strikeouts on the mound in game four to complete the sweep. In the World Series, Ohtani slashed .333/.500/.778 with a 1.278 OPS, three home runs and nine RBIs as the Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games

    Before the 2025 season, Ohtani had been off the pitching mound since August 2023 because Ohtani tore his UCL on Aug. 23, 2023 and got Tommy John surgery the following month, according to Yahoo Sports. This kept him off the mound for all of 2024 and for almost half of 2025.

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    Despite not being able to pitch, Ohtani still produced at the plate in 2024, as he won his third MVP that year and became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season, creating the “50-50 club,” according to Sporting News.

    Ohtani made his pitching debut with the Dodgers on June 16 against the division rival San Diego Padres, where he pitched one inning. Since he was returning Ohtani from a major injury, Ohtani had to be built back up through the season, which is why he pitched just 47 innings. Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said he expects to regularly use Ohtani as a starter, but it’s not going to be a regular five-man rotation.

    “I don’t want to go down the six-man rotation road, but I do feel that giving him six, seven, eight days off to kind of allow him to continue to stay rested and build up, I think that’s in our process,” Roberts said during the 2025 Winter Meetings. “But again we have a long way to go, but we’ve got some viable candidates.”

    Other Dodgers on the top 100 right now were: RHP Edwin Diaz at No. 83, LHP Blake Snell at No. 54, 1B Freddie Freeman at No. 22, OF Kyle Tucker at No. 21, C Will Smith at No. 20, SS Mookie Betts at No. 18 and RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto at No. 13.

    Dodgers pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training on Feb. 13, and opening day is March 26, but fans can watch Ohtani sooner than that as he will play for Team Japan during the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Team Japan’s first game is on March 6 against Team Chinese Taipei.

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    Tony Gleason

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  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto etches himself into World Series lore with gutsy performance in Game 7

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    (CNN) — Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed a contract ahead of the 2024 season worth $325 million over 12 years.

    He had never thrown a pitch in Major League Baseball. But the Los Angeles Dodgers had enough money to take that kind of risk, making the bet that such an insane amount of money will eventually be worth it.

    From October 31 to the early hours of November 2, Yamamoto didn’t just prove to be worth that incredible contract. He proved to be priceless.

    The Los Angeles Dodgers began play on Friday with their backs against the wall, facing a roaring Rogers Centre crowd as the Toronto Blue Jays were one win away from their first title in 32 years. They had just lost two straight games at home in Chavez Ravine and it seemed like time was about to run out on their dynasty claim.

    Enter Yamamoto.

    Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning in Game 7. Credit: Patrick Smith / Getty Images via CNN Newsource

    He shutdown the Blue Jays again on Friday, going six innings and allowing five hits and just one run while striking out six. It was his second victory of the series.

    But that achievement paled in comparison to what he did in Game 7.

    Pitching on roughly 24 hours of rest, Yamamoto entered the game in the most intense of situations. The Blue Jays had two men on base, needing just one run to win the championship. On his second pitch, he hit Alejandro Kirk and loaded the bases. There was no room for error.

    He forced a ground ball to Miguel Rojas, the man who tied the game with a home run in the top of the ninth, who fired home and got Isiah Kiner-Falefa by an inch. Facing Ernie Clement, who tied the postseason record for most hits in a single playoffs, he forced a popout and ended the threat.

    In the 10th, he put the Blue Jays down in order. In the 11th, he allowed a double to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a walk to Addison Barger, putting runners on first and third with one out. With one last nasty splitter, he shattered Alejandro Kirk’s bat and forced a game ending double play.

    Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto celebrates with teammate Will Smith after the team defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7. Credit: Chris Young/The Canadian Press / AP via CNN Newsource

    It was his third win of the World Series. It was baseball heroics. It might change the course of his career – starting pitchers are not meant to pitch on such little rest in such high-leverage situations. But it was the stuff legends are made of and no Dodgers fan will ever forget it.

    “He was the MVP of this series. That was incredible,” catcher Will Smith said. “I talked to him yesterday and was like ‘Hey, if you can give one, we can win.’ He gave us three. That was special. He will have a few months off, I know he’s going to need it. I’m just happy for him.”

    His manager, Dave Roberts, put it more succinctly.

    “Yamamoto’s the GOAT!” he yelled repeatedly on the Fox broadcast, using the abbreviation for Greatest of All Time.

    That might be a stretch to say at this point in the Japanese star’s career, but it’s undisputed that his World Series will go down as one of the greatest in baseball history. Winning three games in a single World Series hasn’t been done since Randy Johnson did it in 2001. And he almost got in a fourth game – he was warming up in the 18th inning of Game 3 when Freddie Freeman went deep to give the Dodgers the win, just two days after he pitched a complete game.

    Yoshinobu Yamamoto raises his World Series MVP trophy. Credit: Ashley Landis / AP via CNN Newsource

    He’s now in the same conversation as pitchers such as Bob Gibson, Christy Mathewson and Mickey Lolich. It’s telling that only six pitchers have accomplished the feat since World War II.

    The kind of toughness and grit that it takes to do what Yamamoto did on Saturday – and early Sunday – can’t be overstated.

    Starting pitchers are creatures of habit. They start their game and then spend the next four days recovering, resting and following a dedicated routine that gets them ready to pitch on the fifth day. They repeat that cycle through the season, over and over from March until October.

    And when they pitch, it’s a more strategic task than what relievers often go through. Starting pitchers have to face the same batters two or three times, forming a game plan to keep hitters guessing and then executing it. Reliever often come into a game aiming to overpower hitters with their stuff, either velocity or wicked movement, and use full effort on most pitches.

    Starters don’t always make good relievers, but somehow when the games get to be the most important, managers always put their top guys on the mound whether they want to be there or not.

    Yamamoto most certainly wanted the ball.

    “I was not sure if I could pitch tonight until I went to the bullpen, but I’m glad I was able to,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter when asked about his superhuman effort pitching on back-to-back nights.

    He went two-and-two-thirds innings, allowing one hit and striking out one batter. He lowered his ERA for the postseason to a paltry 1.45 and held opposing hitters to a .143 batting average in five starts and one relief appearance.

    For all the ink spilled about his teammate Shohei Ohtani’s two-way prowess and the two incredible games that he had in the NLCS and Game 3 of the World Series, Yamamoto’s performance is arguably more connected to baseball’s glorious past.

    A complete game victory in Game 2, followed by volunteering for relief duty two days later. Then another six-inning performance, followed by two-plus innings of clutch relief pitching less than a day later.

    It’s the kind of stuff October legends are made of.

    Yamamoto, as is his wont, approached that rarefied air with humility.

    “I did everything I was supposed to do, and I’m so happy that I was able to win this with these teammates,” Yamamoto said through his interpreter.

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    Kyle Feldscher and CNN

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  • Dodgers Cement Dynasty with Back-to-Back World Series Wins

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    A quarter-century after the last repeat champion, Los Angeles reclaims its throne atop Major League Baseball

    For the first time in 25 years, Major League Baseball has a repeat champion—and, fittingly, it’s the team that’s come to define both excellence and expectation. The Los Angeles Dodgers capped off another unforgettable postseason run with a thrilling Game 7 win in Toronto, cementing their place in baseball history and reigniting a dynasty that had long felt inevitable.

    Los Angeles had done it again, becoming the first team since the late-1990s Yankees to win back-to-back World Series titles. For a franchise built on the weight of tradition, heartbreak, and redemption, this was more than a victory; it was validation.

    Throughout the 2025 season, the Dodgers carried the burden of expectation that comes with a $300 million payroll and a star-studded roster headlined by Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. But unlike superteams of the past, this squad never felt top-heavy. Manager Dave Roberts, once again vindicated after years of second-guessing, crafted a chemistry that transcended the stat sheet.

    Ohtani’s two-way brilliance set the tone all year, from his early-season dominance on the mound to his clutch home runs in October. Betts and Freeman provided the steady leadership that defined the clubhouse, while a new generation, players like Alex Call, Andy Pages, and Tommy Edman, proved the Dodgers’ player-development machine remains the envy of baseball.

    It’s hard to overstate what back-to-back championships mean in today’s game. In an era of parity, short-term contracts, and constant roster churn, consistency of this magnitude feels nearly impossible. Yet the Dodgers, under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, have made sustained excellence look routine.

    Since 2017, the team has reached the postseason every year, capturing four pennants and now three titles. But this one, the repeat, carries special significance. After years of near-misses and internet think pieces questioning whether L.A. could “win the big one” without a shortened-season asterisk attached, this championship silences any remaining skeptics.

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    Talk of a dynasty is no longer premature. Ohtani is signed through the decade, Betts and Freeman are locked in, and a wave of young talent continues to surge through the farm system. Roberts, once a lightning rod for criticism, now joins the ranks of iconic Dodger managers whose names will forever echo through Chavez Ravine.

    As the champagne dries and the parade route snakes down Figueroa, one thing is clear: this isn’t just another championship, it’s the solidification of an era. For the first time since Torre’s Yankees of the late ’90s, baseball has a repeat champion. And for Los Angeles, the city that never stops chasing its next headline, the story couldn’t be sweeter.

    Because in the end, this isn’t just the Dodgers’ year, it’s their dynasty.

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    Gary Smith

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  • Longest World Series game in years ends in the 18th inning on Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman’s walk-off home run

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    (CNN) — The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Monday in 18 innings, which matched the longest World Series game ever, to take a two games to one lead in the best-of-seven series.

    In a thrilling back-and-forth extra innings battle, the Dodgers needed a history-making night from their two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who had three RBIs and three runs scored in an incredible four-hit, two-homer performance that saw the three-time MVP reach base safely an astonishing nine times.

    In the end, it was an 18th-inning, walk-off home run from 2024 World Series MVP Freddie Freeman that delivered the win for the Dodgers.

    Toronto’s 41-year-old starting pitcher Max Scherzer put his name in the MLB history books in the opening inning Monday night, becoming the first pitcher ever to appear in the World Series with four different teams. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was greeted rudely by a Shohei Ohtani lead-off double, but Scherzer managed to escape the inning unscathed.

    Los Angeles right fielder Teoscar Hernández would get the Dodgers on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with a solo home run off Scherzer for a 1-0 lead.

    Ohtani would double the Dodgers’ lead in the third inning, turning on a Scherzer fastball and sending it 389 feet into the Blue Jays’ bullpen.

    Los Angeles was poised to add another run, but a perfect throw from Toronto right fielder Addison Barger cut Freeman down at the plate after a single from Dodgers catcher Will Smith.

    The crucial outfield assist from Barger swung the momentum of the game in Toronto’s favor.

    The Blue Jays got two runners on base with no one out in the fourth inning after Dodgers second baseman Tommy Edman made a fielding error on a possible double play ball off the bat of Toronto’s Bo Bichette. Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk then turned the game on its head with a three-run homer off Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow to put the Jays in front 3-2. Toronto would tack on another run on a Andrés Giménez sacrifice fly.

    The Dodgers bounced back with a two-run fifth inning to tie it up. Ohtani collected his third extra-base hit of the game with a double to plate Kiké Hernández. Freeman then drove in Ohtani with a single down the first base line to knot the game at 4-4.

    Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays narrowly beats the tag by Los Angeles Dodgers Will Smith. Credit: Luke Hales / Getty Images via CNN Newsource

    Toronto reclaimed the lead 5-4 in the seventh inning on a spectacular play. Bichette laced a double down the first base line that sent Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. racing around the bases, slapping his right hand down on the plate just ahead of a diving tag attempt from Smith.

    Ohtani once again came to the rescue, belting his second home run of the game in the seventh inning to tie the game at 5-5. The reigning National League MVP’s fourth extra base hit of the game tied a World Series record set by Frank Isbell of the Chicago White Sox in 1906. Ohtani also established his own MLB record with his third multi-homer game in a single postseason.

    Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting his second home run of World Series Game 3 in Los Angeles. Credit: Luke Hales / Getty Images via CNN Newsource

    The game would remain tied into the bottom of the ninth inning, when Toronto manager John Schneider made the decision to intentionally walk Ohtani rather than give him a chance to do more damage at the plate. Ohtani was promptly caught stealing when he slid past the base and was tagged out by second baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa to snuff out the rally.

    As the game progressed to extra innings, the Blue Jays threatened to score in the top of the 10th inning, but a great throw from Teoscar Hernandez in right field and a perfect relay from Edman had Blue Jays baserunner Davis Schneider dead to rights at the plate as the game remained all square.

    With neither team able to score, the contest dragged on into the 18th inning and passed the six-hour mark. It tied the record for longest World Series game ever, matching 2018’s Game 3 between the Boston Red Sox and Dodgers, also at Dodger Stadium.

    The Dodgers got heroic efforts from a couple unlikely relievers – two shutout innings from Edgardo Henriquez and four from Will Klein, who picked up the win in a career-long outing.

    With Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who pitched a complete game for Los Angeles in Game 2, warming up to take the mound if the game went to a 19th inning, Freeman made sure that wasn’t the case with a towering walk-off home run to center field off Toronto reliever Brendon Little.

    After six hours and 39 minutes of nerve-racking agony, more than 50,000 fans in Dodger Stadium erupted into celebration as Freeman rounded the bases to the familiar tune of Randy Newman’s “I Love LA” to put an end to one of the most epic games in MLB history.

    The Dodgers team mobbed Freeman at home plate as the Blue Jays retreated to their clubhouse to lick their wounds with roughly 17 hours until the teams will do it all again in Game 4 Tuesday night.

    Freeman described his emotions rounding the bases to broadcaster FOX after the game.

    “Just pure excitement,” Freeman said. “When you grind and fight, and our bullpen and our pitching staff did what they did, to have that go six hours and 40 minutes or so, that’s as good as it gets.”

    Ohtani, who will have limited time to rest as he is the Los Angeles’ scheduled starting pitcher for Game 4, made another bit of MLB postseason history by becoming the first player to reach base nine times in a playoff game. Prior to Monday, no player had reached base more than six times in a postseason game. After his 4-for-4 start to the game, the three-time MVP was the recipient of four intentional walks and one traditional walk.

    Ohtani was asked after the game how he felt following his historic night.

    “I want to go to sleep as soon as possible so I can get ready (for Game 4),” a grinning Ohtani told FOX through an interpreter.

    Los Angeles will enter Game 4 with a decided advantage – historically when the teams split the first two games of the World Series, the winner of Game 3 has won the championship 67% of the time.

    This story has been updated with additional information.

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    Kevin Dotson and CNN

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  • New York Yankees’ offense explodes against Los Angeles Dodgers in World Series Game 4 to stave off elimination

    New York Yankees’ offense explodes against Los Angeles Dodgers in World Series Game 4 to stave off elimination

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    (CNN) — The New York Yankees’ offense exploded Tuesday night after struggling through the first three games of the World Series, using three home runs to stave off elimination at Yankee Stadium.

    The Yankees beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in Game 4, spoiling a historic night for Los Angeles Dodgers’ first baseman Freddie Freeman. The Bronx Bombers’ 11 runs were more than the team had scored in the prior three contests combined.

    Down 2-1 in the third inning, Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, a New York native playing for his childhood team, hit a go-ahead grand slam off Daniel Hudson that made the score 5-2. It was a lead the Yankees wouldn’t give up.

    After the game, Volpe was asked about the grand slam.

    “I think I pretty much blacked out as soon as I saw it go over the fence. We just want to keep putting pressure on them and I think everyone had confidence in everyone in the lineup that someone was going to get the big hit,” Volpe said.

    “We’ve been having such good at-bats and putting such good swings on the ball, that we just felt like it was only a matter of time.”

    Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he was happy for the fans following Volpe’s slam.

    “I was just glad because it felt like the fans were so ready to erupt last night, and we just got behind and couldn’t punch things in. It’s like you finally got to see the top blow off Yankee Stadium in a World Series game,” Boone told reporters.

    “When Anthony hits that ball, it was like fun to see Yankee Stadium erupt. It’s like they’ve been waiting for 48 hours to do that. Then just the way the game went on and on, it was just the energy, the noise, the excitement. It was Yankee Stadium World Series game.”

    The Dodgers now lead the series three games to one. Los Angeles has another opportunity to clinch the franchise’s eighth championship on Wednesday when the two teams play Game 5 in New York.

    Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team will be ready.

    “I think that they beat us. Volpe took a good swing. They took advantage of a couple free passes. They tacked on later,” Roberts said afterwards. “I think we could have done some things to get in their pen a little bit earlier.

    “Again, at the end of the day, we’re still in a pretty good spot, and we feel good. We’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

    The contest started off promisingly for the visitors when Freeman continued his hot World Series run.

    The first baseman set a World Series record after homering in his sixth consecutive Fall Classic game. Freeman hit a two-run homer off Yankees starter Luis Gil in the first inning to give the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead. He finished 1-4 with three RBI.

    Freeman homered in Games 5 and 6 as a member of the 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves against the Houston Astros. On Monday, he tied Astros outfielder George Springer as the only players to hit a homer in five straight games.

    The 35-year-old is the first player to homer and have at least 10 RBIs in the first four games of a World Series.

    The Dodgers would score two in the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-4, whittling down the lead provided by Volpe’s slam. But in the sixth, Yankees catcher Austin Wells connected on a solo homer to extend New York’s lead to 6-4.

    In the bottom of the eighth, Volpe once again provided the heroics – this time with his speed. He turned a single into a double with his wheels before stealing third base. When left fielder Alex Verdugo hit a sharp ground ball to second base, Volpe sprinted for home and his head first slide beat the tag from catcher Will Smith to make the game 7-4.

    One batter later, Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres put the exclamation mark on the game with a three-run home run, scoring Wells – who had walked – and Verdugo to make the score 10-4.

    But New York wasn’t done yet. Right fielder Juan Soto continued his solid series with a double following Torres’ homer and center fielder Aaron Judge – who has struggled mightily this series – drove him in with a hard base hit to the left field.

    The offensive breakout provides hope for Yankees’ fans in one of the most highly anticipated editions of the Fall Classic in recent years between two of the sport’s most legendary franchises.

    Wednesday, New York’s top starting pitcher, Gerrit Cole, will take the mound while Jack Flaherty, who pitched a stellar game for the Dodgers in Game 1, is in line to toe the rubber again.

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    Wayne Sterling and CNN

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  • Dodgers hold off Yankees for 3-0 World Series lead

    Dodgers hold off Yankees for 3-0 World Series lead

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    After all that buildup, it’s been all Dodgers so far.Freddie Freeman homered for the third straight game and Walker Buehler pitched another World Series gem as Los Angeles beat the slumping New York Yankees 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic.Video above: Dodgers-Yankees World Series preview With superstar Shohei Ohtani playing despite a partially dislocated left shoulder, the Dodgers moved within one victory of a surprising sweep in this much-hyped matchup between traditional powers.“One more win. That’s all I care about right now,” Freeman said.Teoscar Hernández threw out a runner at home plate with a pinpoint peg from left field. Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernández each delivered an RBI single, and the Dodgers chased Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt in the third inning.Buehler and six relievers combined on a five-hitter for Los Angeles, on the cusp of its second championship in five years and the eighth in franchise history.“Walker Buehler, he’s been doing this his whole career in big games, big moments,” Freeman said. “Steps up when you need him.”Freeman’s two-run shot three batters in gave him a home run in five consecutive World Series games dating to 2021 with Atlanta, matching a major league record set by George Springer with Houston.Looking much healthier after a sprained right ankle slowed him earlier this postseason, Freeman connected for the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history to win a dramatic opener in Los Angeles.Since then, it’s been a one-sided fight.Game 4 is Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Down to three healthy starters, the Dodgers plan their fourth bullpen game of this postseason. Rookie right-hander Luis Gil goes for New York.The only team in big league history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series was the Boston Red Sox against the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.“Hopefully we can go be this amazing story and shock the world,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “But right now it’s about trying to get a lead, trying to grab a game, and force another one, and then on from there. But we’ve got to grab one first.”Dodgers manager Dave Roberts helped spark that stunning Red Sox comeback with a pivotal stolen base.“Don’t talk about that. Wrong guy. Way too early,” he said. “I don’t want to divulge any secrets, but from the other side, I just think that we have got to stay focused, stay urgent.”In the 11 previous World Series meetings between these old October rivals, the lone sweep was by the Dodgers in 1963 behind Hall of Fame pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.That was the only other time the Dodgers had a 3-0 lead in a World Series.New York hasn’t been swept in a Fall Classic since 1976 by the Cincinnati Reds. But on all five occasions they fell behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, the Yankees lost Game 4.Los Angeles has won seven World Series games in a row against the Yankees dating to its 1981 crown.This one marked the first Series game at Yankee Stadium since New York clinched its 27th title in 2009 against Philadelphia. But a return home didn’t help skidding Aaron Judge and the punchless Bronx Bombers, held to four runs and nine hits in the past two games.New York didn’t score until Alex Verdugo’s two-run homer off Michael Kopech with two outs in the ninth inning. Kopech then retired Gleyber Torres on a grounder to end it.Buehler allowed two hits in five innings. His only previous win this year during an injury-interrupted season was May 18 against Cincinnati.The two-time All-Star improved to 4-4 in 18 career postseason starts, including a 2-0 record with a 0.50 ERA in three World Series outings. He has yielded one run and seven hits with 22 strikeouts over 18 innings in those assignments — Game 3s against Boston (2018), Tampa Bay (2020) and the Yankees.“It’s weird. For me, I think the playoffs, big games, that’s always been the only thing I really cared about,” Buehler said. “I was kind of awful all year. I think once you get to the playoffs, the adrenaline, I think whatever fear I had about my elbow or trying to throw a certain pitch or whatever goes away, because it’s all now, it’s all go. It’s helped me I think.”After the Yankees struggled at the plate during two losses in Los Angeles, Boone decided against any major changes to the lineup.New York players held a short meeting in the afternoon, and a recording from late Yankees public-address announcer Bob Sheppard introduced five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch. Bronx-born rapper Fat Joe revved up the sold-out crowd of 49,368 with a pregame performance on the infield.But it was the Dodgers who started fast.Schmidt walked Ohtani on four pitches to begin the game. One out later, Freeman sent a 1-2 cutter 355 feet into the lower deck in right field for his 13th career postseason homer.He joined Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to go deep in the first three games of a World Series.“When you come into a road park, you want to try to strike early and quiet the crowd, and we were able to do that in the first inning,” Freeman said.Ohtani finished 0 for 3 with that walk and was grazed on the foot by a pitch. He grimaced after several swings and clutched his collar with his left hand even when taking a lead off first base to protect his ailing shoulder.But he got through the game just fine.”The pain has subsided, so I felt pretty good about it,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I was told to wear a device that keeps my shoulder warm. So during the (pregame) ceremony and throughout the game, I was wearing that per recommended by the trainers. The reason why I was holding onto myself when I was running is to make sure that I wouldn’t use that same shoulder arm if I were to slide.”No. 9 batter Tommy Edman drew another four-pitch walk from Schmidt leading off the third and scored on Betts’ bloop single. Kiké Hernández added an RBI single in the sixth.Schmidt walked four over 2 2/3 innings in his third postseason start. He lost his fifth consecutive decision dating to a May 16 win at Minnesota.New York nailed a runner at home plate when Edman attempted a safety squeeze in the fourth, but the Dodgers flashed some sensational defense to stomp out any Yankees momentum.Betts made a diving grab in right field after Giancarlo Stanton doubled with one out in the fourth. Teoscar Hernández then fired up all his teammates with a perfect 94 mph throw to the plate on Anthony Volpe’s single, cutting down Stanton to preserve a 3-0 cushion.

    NEW YORK —

    After all that buildup, it’s been all Dodgers so far.

    Freddie Freeman homered for the third straight game and Walker Buehler pitched another World Series gem as Los Angeles beat the slumping New York Yankees 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-0 lead in the Fall Classic.

    Video above: Dodgers-Yankees World Series preview

    With superstar Shohei Ohtani playing despite a partially dislocated left shoulder, the Dodgers moved within one victory of a surprising sweep in this much-hyped matchup between traditional powers.

    “One more win. That’s all I care about right now,” Freeman said.

    Teoscar Hernández threw out a runner at home plate with a pinpoint peg from left field. Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernández each delivered an RBI single, and the Dodgers chased Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt in the third inning.

    Buehler and six relievers combined on a five-hitter for Los Angeles, on the cusp of its second championship in five years and the eighth in franchise history.

    “Walker Buehler, he’s been doing this his whole career in big games, big moments,” Freeman said. “Steps up when you need him.”

    Freeman’s two-run shot three batters in gave him a home run in five consecutive World Series games dating to 2021 with Atlanta, matching a major league record set by George Springer with Houston.

    Looking much healthier after a sprained right ankle slowed him earlier this postseason, Freeman connected for the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history to win a dramatic opener in Los Angeles.

    Since then, it’s been a one-sided fight.

    Game 4 is Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Down to three healthy starters, the Dodgers plan their fourth bullpen game of this postseason. Rookie right-hander Luis Gil goes for New York.

    The only team in big league history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven postseason series was the Boston Red Sox against the Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.

    “Hopefully we can go be this amazing story and shock the world,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “But right now it’s about trying to get a lead, trying to grab a game, and force another one, and then on from there. But we’ve got to grab one first.”

    Dodgers manager Dave Roberts helped spark that stunning Red Sox comeback with a pivotal stolen base.

    “Don’t talk about that. Wrong guy. Way too early,” he said. “I don’t want to divulge any secrets, but from the other side, I just think that we have got to stay focused, stay urgent.”

    In the 11 previous World Series meetings between these old October rivals, the lone sweep was by the Dodgers in 1963 behind Hall of Fame pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.

    That was the only other time the Dodgers had a 3-0 lead in a World Series.

    New York hasn’t been swept in a Fall Classic since 1976 by the Cincinnati Reds. But on all five occasions they fell behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, the Yankees lost Game 4.

    Los Angeles has won seven World Series games in a row against the Yankees dating to its 1981 crown.

    This one marked the first Series game at Yankee Stadium since New York clinched its 27th title in 2009 against Philadelphia. But a return home didn’t help skidding Aaron Judge and the punchless Bronx Bombers, held to four runs and nine hits in the past two games.

    New York didn’t score until Alex Verdugo’s two-run homer off Michael Kopech with two outs in the ninth inning. Kopech then retired Gleyber Torres on a grounder to end it.

    Buehler allowed two hits in five innings. His only previous win this year during an injury-interrupted season was May 18 against Cincinnati.

    The two-time All-Star improved to 4-4 in 18 career postseason starts, including a 2-0 record with a 0.50 ERA in three World Series outings. He has yielded one run and seven hits with 22 strikeouts over 18 innings in those assignments — Game 3s against Boston (2018), Tampa Bay (2020) and the Yankees.

    “It’s weird. For me, I think the playoffs, big games, that’s always been the only thing I really cared about,” Buehler said. “I was kind of awful all year. I think once you get to the playoffs, the adrenaline, I think whatever fear I had about my elbow or trying to throw a certain pitch or whatever goes away, because it’s all now, it’s all go. It’s helped me I think.”

    After the Yankees struggled at the plate during two losses in Los Angeles, Boone decided against any major changes to the lineup.

    New York players held a short meeting in the afternoon, and a recording from late Yankees public-address announcer Bob Sheppard introduced five-time World Series champion Derek Jeter when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch. Bronx-born rapper Fat Joe revved up the sold-out crowd of 49,368 with a pregame performance on the infield.

    But it was the Dodgers who started fast.

    Schmidt walked Ohtani on four pitches to begin the game. One out later, Freeman sent a 1-2 cutter 355 feet into the lower deck in right field for his 13th career postseason homer.

    He joined Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002) as the only players to go deep in the first three games of a World Series.

    “When you come into a road park, you want to try to strike early and quiet the crowd, and we were able to do that in the first inning,” Freeman said.

    Ohtani finished 0 for 3 with that walk and was grazed on the foot by a pitch. He grimaced after several swings and clutched his collar with his left hand even when taking a lead off first base to protect his ailing shoulder.

    But he got through the game just fine.

    “The pain has subsided, so I felt pretty good about it,” Ohtani said through a translator. “I was told to wear a device that keeps my shoulder warm. So during the (pregame) ceremony and throughout the game, I was wearing that per recommended by the trainers. The reason why I was holding onto myself when I was running is to make sure that I wouldn’t use that same shoulder arm if I were to slide.”

    No. 9 batter Tommy Edman drew another four-pitch walk from Schmidt leading off the third and scored on Betts’ bloop single. Kiké Hernández added an RBI single in the sixth.

    Schmidt walked four over 2 2/3 innings in his third postseason start. He lost his fifth consecutive decision dating to a May 16 win at Minnesota.

    New York nailed a runner at home plate when Edman attempted a safety squeeze in the fourth, but the Dodgers flashed some sensational defense to stomp out any Yankees momentum.

    Betts made a diving grab in right field after Giancarlo Stanton doubled with one out in the fourth. Teoscar Hernández then fired up all his teammates with a perfect 94 mph throw to the plate on Anthony Volpe’s single, cutting down Stanton to preserve a 3-0 cushion.

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  • Freddie Freeman’s record-tying home run propels Dodgers to commanding 3-0 World Series lead

    Freddie Freeman’s record-tying home run propels Dodgers to commanding 3-0 World Series lead

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    (CNN) — Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman tied a World Series record after homering in his fifth consecutive Fall Classic game Monday night as the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 4-2 in Game 3.

    The Dodgers are now just one win away from the franchise’s eighth World Series championship.

    Freeman connected on a two-run homer off Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt in the first inning at Yankee Stadium to give the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead. The 35-year-old joins Houston Astros outfielder George Springer as the only players to accomplish the feat.

    Freeman hit a home run in Games 5 and 6 as a member of the 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves against the Astros.

    After the game, Freeman downplayed the accomplishment.

    “When it’s all said and done, I can look at that. But the most important thing is one more win. That’s all I care about right now,” he said. “I don’t care how it happens. I just want to get one more win.”

    Freeman is one of three players to homer in the first three games of the World Series following Barry Bonds for the San Francisco Giants in 2002 and Hank Bauer for the Yankees in 1958.

    Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler baffled the Yankees’ hitters. Buehler struck out five across five scoreless innings while giving up two hits to pick up the victory.

    “I think the playoffs or big games has always been the only thing I really cared about,” said Buehler, who returned midseason after missing almost two full years following elbow surgery.

    ”I was kind of awful all year, and I think that once you get to the playoffs – the adrenaline, the momentum – I think whatever fear I had about my elbow or trying to throw a certain pitch or whatever goes away because it’s all now. It’s all go.”

    Schmidt gave up three runs on two hits while walking four in 2.2 innings and took the loss.

    Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani started following a shoulder injury scare in Game 2. During players’ introductions, it appeared that the Japanese superstar was wearing a sling as he ran onto the field. He batted in his usual spot at the top of the order.

    Ohtani went hitless on the night, but reached base twice on a walk and a hit by pitch. He scored on Freeman’s home run. He appeared to wince in pain during multiple swings and held onto his jersey while on the base paths in an apparent attempt to limit how much his shoulder was moving.

    Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani wasn’t feeling his best during an in-game interview in the fourth inning, but acknowledged the slugger being in the batter’s box was a presence for the team.

    After the game, Roberts was appreciative of Ohtani’s effort.

    “I thought he did a really nice job of competing. I don’t think that it got any worse,” Roberts said. “Obviously just him in the batter’s box starting the game off, getting on base by way of walk. I just really appreciate him posting tonight.”

    There was a bit of late drama and a spark of hope for the Yankees when left fielder Alex Verdugo launched a two-run home run to bring the New Yorkers within two. But second basemen Gleyber Torres grounded out to shortstop to end the game during the next at-bat.

    Los Angeles takes a commanding three games to none lead in the best-of-seven series into Tuesday night’s Game 4 in New York.

    The Dodgers will be seeking the first World Series sweep since 2012.

    “We’re trying to get a game tomorrow,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the defeat. “That’s where our focus lies. So hopefully we can go be this amazing story and shock the world.

    “But right now it’s about trying to get a lead, trying to grab a game and force another one and then on from there. But we got to grab one first.”

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  • Betts and Freeman homer in the 1st to back another solid outing from Stone as Dodgers blank Rockies

    Betts and Freeman homer in the 1st to back another solid outing from Stone as Dodgers blank Rockies

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    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman homered in the first inning, Gavin Stone had another strong outing and the Los Angeles Dodgers blanked the Colorado Rockies 4-0 on Sunday.

    Betts hit his fourth leadoff homer this season.

    Two batters later, Freeman went deep off Colorado’s Austin Gomber, the eighth time the Dodgers have homered at least twice in an inning.

    Freeman also scored twice and drove in two runs for the Dodgers, who have won five of six.

    The Follow Up

    What do you want Denver7 to follow up on? Is there a story, topic or issue you want us to revisit? Let us know with the contact form below.

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  • Cronenworth, Padres rally to stun Dodgers 5-3 to reach NLCS

    Cronenworth, Padres rally to stun Dodgers 5-3 to reach NLCS

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    SAN DIEGO — Baseball fans in San Diego have been waiting a long time to party like this and the Padres were more than happy to finally oblige.

    What made it so much sweeter was that they toppled the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers, the best team in the majors this year and one that had beaten up on the Padres regularly for the better part of two seasons.

    Jake Cronenworth hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with two outs in the seventh inning and San Diego rallied past the Dodgers 5-3 Saturday night to advance to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 1998.

    Petco Park shook and the sellout crowd of 45,139 roared when Josh Hader struck out Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman in succession to end the Padres’ third straight win against the Dodgers.

    Hader and third baseman Manny Machado jumped into each other’s arms and the rest of the team joined them in a wild celebration on the infield grass as fireworks went off above the downtown ballpark. Machado and Juan Soto exhorted the fans for more as they all reveled in the middle of a rare San Diego rainstorm.

    “Our fans have been waiting for so long and I used to be that fan that was waiting,” said Joe Musgrove, the hometown kid who started the clincher. “It feels good to be on this side of the ball, I’ll tell you that, but these fans deserve to celebrate tonight.

    “I know the job’s not done, we’ve got a lot of baseball ahead of us still, but this is something that needs to be celebrated,” Musgrove said. “Those guys handed it to us all year long and when it came down to it and we needed to win ballgames we found ways to do it.”

    Before a sign-carrying crowd chanting “Beat LA! Beat LA!,” the Padres stunned the 111-win Dodgers with a five-run seventh to win their best-of-five NL Division Series 3-1.

    “It’s about to be a party out here tonight,” said Musgrove, who grew up a Padres fan in the San Diego suburbs.

    “I mean, since I was a little kid we’ve been getting beat up by the Dodgers. But when it comes down to it and the games matter, this team stepped up, from top to bottom.”

    The Padres had lost nine straight series to the Dodgers before winning the one that mattered the most.

    San Diego will host the Philadelphia Phillies in Games 1 and 2 of an all-wild card NLCS on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Phillies beat the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves 8-3 earlier in the day to win their NLDS in four games.

    “This is what the city’s been waiting for for a long time,” said Machado, the Padres’ $300 million third baseman and unquestioned leader.

    The Padres last reached the NLCS 24 years ago when they beat Atlanta in six games and were then swept by the New York Yankees in the World Series. A handful of players from that team watched from a luxury suite, including Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman and center fielder Steve Finley.

    It was a soul-crushing ending for the Dodgers after the best regular-season record in club history and manager Dave Roberts’ prediction during spring training that they’d win the World Series.

    “Shock factor, very high. Disappointment, very high. It’s crushing,” Roberts said. “Each guy gave everything they had all year long, and a tremendous season. The great thing about baseball is the unpredictability, and the tough thing about it is the same thing.

    “Nothing I can say is going to make it feel any better. Obviously we didn’t expect to be in this position,” he added.

    The game was delayed 31 minutes at the start by showers, which returned in the eighth inning and prompted a short delay while the grounds crew worked on the mound.

    After left-hander Tyler Anderson stymied the Padres through five scoreless innings, San Diego broke through against the Dodgers’ bullpen in the seventh.

    Jurickson Profar drew a leadoff walk against Tommy Kahnle, took third on Trent Grisham’s single and scored when Austin Nola’s infield single glanced off Freeman’s glove at first base. Yency Almonte, who took the loss, came on and was greeted by Kim Ha-seong’s RBI double inside the third base line, followed by Soto’s tying single to right.

    With two outs and the crowd on its feet, Cronenworth singled to center off local product Alex Vesia to give the Padres the lead, raising his arms in celebration as he rounded first and then punching the air with his right fist as he pulled into second base on the throw home. Soto, acquired from Washington in a blockbuster trade Aug. 2, slid home headfirst and jumped up and cheered.

    “We talked about it all day — we’re winning tonight no matter what the situation is,” Cronenworth said.

    “It took a team effort to beat a really good team and we did that,” Machado said.

    After the first rain delay, fans were amped up in anticipation of Musgrove pitching his hometown Padres into the NL Championship Series. The big right-hander from suburban El Cajon, a first-time All-Star in 2022, was the first Padres pitcher from San Diego to make a postseason start in his hometown.

    But Anderson outpitched Musgrove, holding the Padres to two hits through five innings.

    The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the third. Betts walked with one out and Turner scorched a grounder past third baseman Machado, who has carried the Padres much of the season, to move Betts to third. Freeman, who helped the Braves win the World Series last year before signing with the Dodgers as a free agent, doubled down the right field line to bring them both in.

    Will Smith hit a sacrifice fly against Steven Wilson with the bases loaded in the seventh for a 3-0 lead, but winning pitcher Tim Hill prevented further damage.

    The Dodgers will be left with an empty feeling. They won the NL West for the ninth time in 10 seasons and finished 22 games ahead of San Diego. The Dodgers went 14-5 against the Padres in the regular season.

    Musgrove was trying for his second straight playoff series-clinching win. On Sunday night, he dominated the New York Mets at Citi Field, allowing just one hit and one walk in seven innings in a 6-0 win that sent the Padres to the NLDS.

    He gave up two runs and six hits in six innings against the Dodgers, struck out eight and walked three.

    FIRST PITCH

    Jake Peavy, the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner who was Musgrove’s boyhood idol, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to former teammate Mark Loretta. Musgrove switched to Peavy’s No. 44 after he was obtained by the Padres prior to the 2021 season.

    UP NEXT

    Dodgers: Play their spring training opener Feb. 25 against Milwaukee.

    Padres: RHP Yu Darvish likely will get the start Tuesday in Game 1 of the NLCS.

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    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Dominant Dodgers, hot Padres bring SoCal rivalry to NLDS

    Dominant Dodgers, hot Padres bring SoCal rivalry to NLDS

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    LOS ANGELES — The San Diego Padres knocked off the 101-win New York Mets in the National League wild-card series.

    Awaiting them in the NL Division Series is an even bigger challenge: the 111-win Los Angeles Dodgers.

    “They’re hot and we’ve been hot for seven months,” a smiling — or was it smirking? — Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman said Monday.

    Call it a postseason Freeway Series.

    “It’s going to be a very intense series,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

    Unlike the regular season.

    The Southern California rivals were separated by a whopping 22 games in the NL West, with the Dodgers controlling first place for much of the time and the Padres finishing second.

    “They handed it to us pretty good this year, so we realize what we’re up against,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “It feels a little bit better now that we’re not looking at the standings.”

    That’s not the only way in which the Dodgers dominated the Padres. Los Angeles went 15-4 against them, never lost a series and outscored them 109-47.

    As a result, the Dodgers are solid favorites coming into the best-of-five NLDS that begins Tuesday night in Los Angeles. In Game 1, right-hander Mike Clevinger takes the mound for the Padres against left-hander Julio Urías, a 17-game winner for the Dodgers.

    Right-hander Yu Darvish, a 16-game winner, starts for the Padres in Game 2 on Wednesday against left-hander Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers’ three-time Cy Young Award winner.

    The Dodgers are well-rested, having been been off since closing out the regular season a week ago. While the Padres flew cross-country to outscore the Mets 16-8 in winning the wild-card series in three games, the Dodgers played simulated games in their empty stadium.

    They gathered at a high-end steakhouse on Sunday night for a team dinner with the decisive Padres-Mets game on in the background. Watching Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove getting his ears checked for illegal substances by the umpire, “it got a little louder in the room,” Freeman said.

    BOLSTERING THE RANKS

    San Diego got better at the trade deadline by adding closer Josh Hader and two-time All-Star Juan Soto, who was a teammate of current Dodger Trea Turner on the Washington Nationals.

    Hader closed out Game 3 against the Mets and Soto went 2 for 4 with two RBIs in the clincher.

    The Dodgers signed Freeman in March, adding offensive punch to an already potent lineup. Freeman hit .325 and finished .001 points behind the Mets’ Jeff McNeil for the NL batting title.

    ALMOST LIKE HOME

    The last time the Padres were in the playoffs in a full season in front of fans in 2006, Roberts was their leadoff hitter and left fielder. He’ll be able to sleep in his own bed during the NLDS since he lives in the San Diego area.

    BUEHLER’S NIGHT OUT

    Walker Buehler will be on the mound for Game 2 on Wednesday — to toss out the ceremonial first pitch. The two-time All-Star who helped the Dodgers win the 2020 World Series had his second career Tommy John surgery in August. He’s not expected back until the 2024 season. Buehler was 6-3 with a 4.02 ERA in 12 starts this season before having surgery.

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    More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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