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At the Heart of the Dodgers' Consecutive Championships: "Yoshinobu" — Shohei Ohtani Praises Him as the "Best Pitcher in the World." An Easy-to-Understand Explanation for Overseas Readers on the Significance of the 2025 World Series Consecutive Wins Achieved Through All-Out Effort

At the Heart of the Dodgers' Consecutive Championships: "Yoshinobu" — Shohei Ohtani Praises Him as the "Best Pitcher in the World." An Easy-to-Understand Explanation for Overseas Readers on the Significance of the 2025 World Series Consecutive Wins Achieved Through All-Out Effort

2025年11月05日 17:06

1. What Happened —— Organizing the Date, Location, and Score

On November 1, 2025 (local time), at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, Game 7 of the WS took place. The Dodgers defeated the Blue Jays 5–4 in 11 innings, achieving the franchise's first-ever consecutive championship (November 2 in Japan). In the final stages of the game, Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, sealing the game with a double play at the most critical moment. His historical impact was recognized, and Yamamoto was named the series MVP. Reuters+1



2. Shohei Ohtani Declares "Yoshinobu is the Best Pitcher in the World"

Immediately after the victory, in the venue and press area, Shohei Ohtani stated, "Yoshinobu is the best pitcher in the world." The fact that Yamamoto held the close game scoreless in a high-risk situation of **"emergency pitching the day after throwing 96 pitches in Game 6" lent credibility to his words. Major Japanese newspapers and sports media widely reported this statement, emphasizing it as a "legendary consecutive pitching"**. Sponichi Sponichi Annex+1



3. Yoshinobu Yamamoto's WS: Numbers Speak of a "Historic Level"

  • 3 wins, 17 2/3 innings, 15 strikeouts, 2 walks, ERA around 1.0

  • Game 2: Complete game with 4 hits and 1 run allowed

  • Game 6: 6 innings, 1 run, leaving a workload of more than two days

  • Game 7: 2 2/3 scoreless innings, extinguishing the fire in the most critical situation
    . Such an achievement of 3 wins is the first since Randy Johnson in 2001. The difficulty of game management, including consecutive pitching, marked a tactical epoch in the era of bullpen dominance in modern MLB, showcasing the multi-use of a starting ace. Reuters+2AP News+2



4. The Rarity of Consecutive Championships —— Position in MLB History

Consecutive WS championships have been rare in recent years, with the last being the Yankees in 1999–2000. For the Dodgers, it's the first in franchise history. Even for strong teams with large payrolls, the uncertainty of short series, player health, and the balance of investment returns for the front office pose multiple risks. This consecutive championship, breaking through those barriers, is also a victory of organizational strength, including player depth, analysis, operations, medical support, and translation/support. New York Post



5. Breakdown of the "All-Out Battle" —— Pitching Management and Bench Decisions

  • Flexible Bullpen Management: The decision to use Yamamoto as a short reliever the day after starting was a tug-of-war between win probability and health risk.

  • Situational Adaptability: With bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the 9th, the team held on until the 11th inning victory, enduring as a whole.

  • Defense, Baserunning, and Strategy: The bench work integrated data × field. Scouting and players' self-adjustment abilities functioned effectively. AP News



6. Ohtani's Role —— The Impact of the "Dual Wheels" on Consecutive Championships

Ohtani made a comeback in both pitching and hitting during the 2025 season. He was named NLCS MVP and started as the leadoff pitcher and DH in Game 7. Though he struggled with 3 runs in 3 innings, he contributed to the offensive flow with multiple hits. The "I hit, Yoshinobu pitches" dynamic highlighted the aesthetic of role division, making the structure of consecutive championships clearer. Wikipedia+1



7. Overseas Perspective —— "GOAT" Calls and Evaluation Criteria

U.S. media unanimously declared Yamamoto as the series MVP, with managers and experts praising his performance as **"GOAT (Greatest of All Time) level pitching". The combined effect of back-to-back pitching from Game 6→7 and the complete game in Game 2 conveyed the message that "even in modern baseball, an individual's coverage can be expanded."** New York Post



8. Japanese Perspective —— Arrival of the "Golden Era" and Social Impact

Japanese news outlets positioned the collaboration of Ohtani × Yamamoto as the "golden era of Japanese baseball," also mentioning the economic ripple effects (sponsors, broadcasting rights, tourism) and support for the baseball population. Particularly noteworthy are the trends of young people learning baseball through data and the acceleration of **cross-border fandom (supporting overseas teams)**. Yahoo! Sports



9. Cultural and Business Aspects: Why "Consecutive Championships" Have Commercial Value

  • Accumulation of Brand Assets: Consecutive championships are not by chance but a proof of reproducibility. Secondary and tertiary products like uniforms, collaborations, and documentaries are easier to circulate.

  • International Public Relations: The combination of Japanese stars × LA market is a good example of global PR.

  • Fusion of Data and Storytelling: Historical indicators (3 wins in one series) and famous quotes (best pitcher in the world) reinforce narrative value, becoming assets to be passed down. Reuters+1



10. Minimal MLB Terminology Guide for Overseas Readers

  • WS (World Series): MLB's annual championship series. Best of seven games.

  • MVP: The most valuable player in a series or league.

  • Consecutive Pitching: Pitching on consecutive days or with short intervals. Managing stamina and injury risk is key.

  • Two-Way Player: A player who handles both hitting and pitching. A signature of Ohtani.

  • Short Relief: A role to pitch with full effort for short innings. Yamamoto, while being a starting pitcher, also adapted to short, high-intensity usage.



11. The Next Question Posed by Consecutive Championships —— Balancing Reproducibility and Health

Modern MLB considers pitcher health as the most important asset. The decision for consecutive pitching this time was an extreme measure, not directly transferable to season-long operations. Going forward,

  1. data-driven fatigue management,

  2. micro-optimization of rotations (opponents, stadiums, umpires),

  3. workload distribution for two-way players
    will become more refined. **"Organizations that continue to win"** will update by balancing short-term and long-term optimization.



12. The True Meaning of the Quote "I Want to Fully Immerse in This Victory"

Ohtani's "I want to fully immerse in this victory" is a tribute to the story of organization and individuals overcoming the waves of probability. In short series, which rely on both chance and necessity, human decision-making becomes

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