Dodgers Get Incredible Championship Rings, Win In Insane Walk Off
Things in the Los Angeles baseball world are going about as well as they possibly can.
The Dodgers won the 2024 World Series, and did so in spectacular fashion. Coming back from down two games to one against the San Diego Padres. Feddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam in Game One of the World Series. Then the remarkable five-run fifth inning at Yankee Stadium in game five, culminating in a dramatic eighth and ninth inning to clinch the title.
Oh, then they followed that up with arguably the best offseason of any team in Major League Baseball, retaining key players and adding a wealth of talent.
Friday night at Dodger Stadium, the members of the 2024 staff and team received their championship rings, which had a number of incredible details. Eight diamonds on the sides of the ring, for the eight World Series wins for the Dodgers organization. Personalized signature details. The three series wins over the Padres, Mets and Yankees. Five diamonds on the bottom of the ring to commemorate the five-run comeback in game five.
Oh, and the top opens up, revealing a portion of a base used in the series, along with a miniature replica of Dodger Stadium with the championship trophy.
Dodger players were already riding on house money after receiving the rings. Then the game happened.
Mar 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) hits a 3 run home run during the tenth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dodgers Come From Behind Again, Win In Wild 10th Inning
Jack Flaherty, an integral part of the World Series run in 2024, started for the Detroit Tigers, and was virtually and literally unhittable through the first four innings. Then World Series MVP Freddie Freeman tied the score at two with a sixth-inning homer.
Mookie Betts, another one of the Dodgers' MVP trio, then launched a go-ahead home run in the eighth. But Tanner Scott, LA's new high-priced bullpen acquisition, blew the save. He gave up a double into the right field corner to Riley Greene, only for Manuel Margot to have replay review, correctly, overturn a safe call at the plate.
Still, the game went to extras, where Detroit jumped out to a 5-3 lead thanks to a broken bat ball to left that Michael Conforto couldn't reach. LA though, wasn't done there.
Conforto reached on a ground-rule double in the bottom of the 10th, driving in the ghost runner to make it 5-4. After Andy Pages grounded to short, Will Smith pinch hit and poked one through the infield to tie the score at 5.
Shohei Ohtani laced a single to right, sending Smith to third and setting the stage for Mookie Betts again. One out, winning run at third, Betts, just returning from an illness that saw him lose 20 pounds, up with a chance to win the game. And on a 3-2 pitch, after fouling off a few tough pitches to stay alive, Betts launched a walk-off three-run homer to give the Dodgers their fourth consecutive win to start the year.
When things are going well in LA, they really go well.
The Dodgers have clearly avoided a Championship hangover through the first week, even after getting their rings and two consecutive days of pre-game ceremony. As always, health will be the key factor determining how far they go. But when the top of the lineup is together, they're very, very hard to beat. Just ask the Tigers.