As a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the only thing better than winning the 2024 World Series is winning back-to-back championships. The Dodgers’ entire 2025 Major League Baseball season, which includes their postseason games along with the 7-game World Series where the Dodgers faced the Toronto Blue Jays, was nothing short of an emotional roller coaster.

This year’s World Series will go down as one of the most exhilarating in history. Fans like myself went from staying up for hours to watch the 18-inning game three to sitting at the edge of their seats for the anxiety-inducing game seven. The game was so long, in fact, that it became the second-longest game in MLB postseason history with a duration of six hours and 39 minutes.

Game seven was genuinely one of the most thrilling games I have ever seen. In the final innings, the score was 3-0 due to pitcher Shohei Ohtani giving up a three-run home run to Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette in the third inning, which caused Yamamoto to come in and pitch despite pitching the day before. In the ninth inning, however, Miguel Rojas hit a game-tying home run to make the score 4-4, which sent every fan into a state of euphoria.

The stage was set. The Dodgers’ defense was dialed in and making game-saving plays, like when outfielder Andy Pages had to hurdle over fellow outfielder Kike Hernandez to make a catch to get the third out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Then, in the tenth inning, catcher Will Smith smashed a home run to make the score 5-4. Finally, in the 11th inning, Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk broke his bat, which grounded him out for the Dodgers to win the World Series and take home a championship.

After the Dodgers won, the fans went absolutely crazy. People filled the streets, blocking intersections, honking their horns and launching fireworks while cheering for their home team’s victory. These types of celebrations continued when the Dodgers held a parade that culminated at Dodger Stadium, where tickets were sold for a celebration and presentation of the World Series trophy.

I was there and it was amazing to see all of the players have their individual moments in making speeches. The atmosphere in that stadium was amazing, and I was surprised by how packed it was despite the Dodgers not even playing that game. Everywhere I went, I heard “Let’s go Dodgers!” chants and I even saw beach balls being tossed around in the stands, which was funny.

My favorite part of the celebration, however, was Kiké’s speech to the players. Just like what Kiké did last year, he said some things that would definitely not fly on national television but were funny regardless. Along with Kiké, star veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw gave his final speech to Dodger fans as he retired this year, a champion.

Kershaw, who will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the top five best pitchers of all time, retired at the end of this year. Kershaw was with the Dodgers for 18 years and stayed with them his entire career. I grew up watching him and it was really amazing seeing him pitch throughout my childhood. In his time playing with the Dodgers, he accomplished a career 2.53 ERA, three National League Cy-Young Awards, 11 All-Star Game appearances, three World Series and joined the 3,000 strikeout club.

Words can not describe how much the city of Los Angeles adores Kershaw and his work with the Dodgers. The amount of blood, sweat and tears that man has put into the team is nothing short of phenomenal, and I am really sad to see him go. He is such a sentimental person to me, my family, my friends and most people that I know. I hope that maybe in the future he returns as a coach or works with the Dodgers in some way.

Overall, this year was sad yet heartwarming in some aspects. From the departure of players like Kershaw to the masterclass the pitching rotation put on in the final days of the playoffs this year, it was nothing short of an ending that is only seen in the movies. I have high expectations for next year and I’m hoping to watch the Dodgers do a three-peat by winning another World Series. But as Los Angeles Laker legend Kobe Bryant once said, “Jobs not finished.”