LOS ANGELES — In the end, a parade in Los Angeles. A metropolis starved for one since 1988, stored from one in 2020, lastly had its likelihood to rejoice. These Los Angeles Dodgers rode eight buses from Metropolis Corridor to Dodger Stadium, soaking in a metropolis that jumped on the alternative to certify this period as the best within the franchise’s fashionable historical past.
Followers lined the streets and packed the ballpark. They hung from streetlights and flung beers towards the automobiles carrying the gamers who vanquished the New York Yankees to carry dwelling a second title in 5 years. They stirred recollections of Dodgers legends of outdated. They commemorated them in Hollywood trend, as actor Edward James Olmos led hundreds in singing “Pleased Birthday” to the late Fernando Valenzuela, who handed away simply days earlier than this World Sequence and would have turned 64 years outdated on Friday. Ice Dice returned for an encore, this time with Dave Roberts becoming a member of him on stage.
It was an excellent day certainly. The World Sequence champions had been again in Los Angeles. This time, they bought to take pleasure in it, returning on a blue carpet as “Not Like Us” boomed in entrance of an estimated 42,458 individuals within the ballpark.
Being unable to rejoice 4 years in the past, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman mentioned, left “an empty feeling.”
That was rectified on Friday.
LAPD estimated 225,000 followers gathered alongside the parade route throughout the Dodgers championship parade. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Photographs)
“It actually made up for 2020,” Roberts mentioned, estimating he’s gotten about 4 hours of sleep for the reason that last out Wednesday night time. “Clearly there’s plenty of gamers in 2020 that didn’t get to understand and expertise what we skilled, however that is for them too.”
“That is the most effective factor I’ve ever been part of,” Clayton Kershaw mentioned.
After 17 years, the franchise icon bought his parade. He’s now a champion twice. Kershaw savored the occasion, elevating the trophy as he jumped up and down earlier than the ocean of blue in entrance of him. It was up on the stage that the three-time Cy Younger Award winner was delivered to tears. The tears continued once more after, as he spoke of what it meant.
“I waited a very long time for this,” Kershaw mentioned. “It actually put all my expectations to mattress. … We’ve been by means of it. We’ve been by means of some stuff. To have the ability to see them as completely satisfied as they had been, with the ability to rejoice with us. It means the world to me.”
To win 4 years in the past, Kershaw mentioned, introduced reduction. This was pleasure. Elation. Vindication after years of postseason losses that Kershaw wore for this metropolis and felt alongside the fan base.
“It’s a day that I’ll positively always remember,” Kershaw mentioned. “Baseball is only a recreation. All people says that. However I don’t know man. You go searching and also you see how a lot it means to so many alternative individuals, it is likely to be baseball nevertheless it means lots to plenty of totally different individuals. I’m no totally different.
“I do know they’ve felt all of the losses too, identical to I did. The one option to get by means of it’s simply to get by means of it. And we did. By some means I’m nonetheless right here, and so they’re nonetheless right here to rejoice.”
Wow. Los Angeles, you are unimaginable. #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/hF8gltIpnq
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 1, 2024
Have a good time, they did. On one bus, Walker Buehler donned his idol’s jersey as his spouse, McKenzie, poured beer down a funnel and into his mouth. The person who recorded the ultimate three outs of the Dodgers’ eighth World Sequence title had reached out to Orel Hershiser throughout the Nationwide League Championship Sequence, asking if the street grey uniform from the 1988 World Sequence was nonetheless in his closet. Buehler wore it, grime stains and all, earlier than Sport 1 of the World Sequence and stored it right through to Friday, when he bought down on one knee carrying it and imbibed.
“We’re world f—ing champions, mom f—er,” Buehler mentioned as he took the stage, trophy in tow.
Freddie Freeman cradled his youngest son, Maximus, in a single arm and his different two sons, Brandon and Charlie, clung to every leg. The World Sequence MVP was delivered to tears simply three years in the past when he returned to Atlanta, a spot he thought he’d by no means go away. Now, he was basking in a metropolis that has embraced him, in an space the place he grew up, his place in Dodgers lore cemented after his efficiency on a badly sprained proper ankle and with damaged rib cartilage he handled all through October.
“I solely had one leg, however I had an entire group of fellows who had my again all yr,” Freeman mentioned.
Walker Buehler, carrying an Orel Hershiser jersey, drinks a beer with assist from his spouse, McKenzie. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Photographs)
Alex Vesia slung a championship title belt over his left shoulder. Jack Flaherty donned a shirt that learn “Job Completed” as a nod to the Kobe Bryant quote on show within the dwelling clubhouse all October. Bryant memorably mentioned “Job’s not completed” after Sport 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals, and the Dodgers embraced the motto by staying locked in till they completed off the Yankees within the five-game sequence.
Kiké Hernández praised Ice Dice and got here for the neck of Fats Joe, who carried out reverse the “West Coast Don” (as Ice Dice was launched on Friday), at Yankee Stadium throughout the sequence. “We didn’t have to play, as a result of after that efficiency we had already received,” Hernández mentioned, calling the rapper “not fats anymore” within the course of.
By the top of the day, Teoscar Hernández was delivered to tears. “While you get that out of me, that’s the most effective,” he mentioned. “Once I present that emotion, that’s after I really really feel it.”
Collectively, the Dodgers watched in awe as a metropolis craving a celebration embraced them.
“I didn’t even know this many individuals existed,” Tyler Glasnow mentioned.
The Los Angeles Police Division estimated crowds of 225,000 lining the streets of the affair.
“Folks f—ing lining up, on the freaking buildings, it’s unbelievable,” Flaherty mentioned. “I like this metropolis. I by no means wish to go away.”
Shohei Ohtani cradled his canine, Decoy, as he and Yoshinobu Yamamoto — the headliners of a billion-dollar offseason — celebrated a title of their first season within the uniform.
The Dodgers spent years fascinated by the potential of one thing like this. A flourish this previous winter, looking for “the most important fish of all of them” in Ohtani, was on the heart of it.
“I nearly screwed it up,” Roberts quipped, alluding to his determination to disclose the Dodgers’ assembly with the celebrity on this identical constructing simply 11 months in the past.
Ohtani drew a raucous roar as he thanked the group in English. It was Kershaw and Buehler and Freeman and Ohtani and Mookie Betts and others who got here to outline these Dodgers, and maybe nobody put their ethos any extra succinctly than Kiké Hernández did in eliciting a hefty superb for his postgame interview on Fox after eliminating the Padres within the Nationwide League Division Sequence.
On Friday, Hernández playfully referenced that second by leaning on the group for assist as he reenacted the censored portion of his on-air remarks to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.
“Are we reside?” Hernández requested as he took the microphone, earlier than beckoning the group. “What makes this crew totally different than every other Dodgers crew?”
The gang responded: “They don’t give a f—.”
“They mentioned it,” Hernández mentioned, “not me.
A Freddie Freeman cutout honoring his walk-off grand slam in Sport 1 joins the parade. (Harry How / Getty Photographs)
Welcome to the Dodgers’ golden period, one punctuated by two titles in 5 years and the promise and hope of extra. It was Kiké Hernández on Friday who claimed possession of a decade that isn’t midway full, saying the Dodgers’ dominance. It’s not laborious to see why. Ohtani has 9 years left on his contract. Yamamoto has 11. Freeman has three. Betts has 9.
Friday provided a style of the celebration this metropolis has been lacking. Now, it craves extra.
“We bought two to date,” Betts mentioned of the Dodgers’ titles since arriving right here in 2020. He has one other from his time in Boston. “We bought like eight, 9 years left? I bought to get to a minimum of 5 or 6, proper? We bought to do that a minimum of 5 or 6 occasions, proper? I’m making an attempt to fill this hand up, L.A.”
(High picture of Kiké Hernandez: Ronald Martinez / Getty Photographs)
