Yoshinobu Yamamoto wins 2025 World Series MVP

After a jaw-dropping turn of events at Rogers Centre on Saturday, in which the Dodgers — who had trailed the entire game — tied Game 7 in the ninth before riding Will Smithâ€s home run in the 11th to a 5-4 win to become the first back-to-back champions in 25 years, their ace and ultimate workhorse Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named the recipient of the Willie Mays World Series Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet.

Yamamoto, who has cemented himself as a big-game pitcher this postseason, pitched the final 2 2/3 innings of the clinching game without allowing a single run, just 24 hours after starting Game 6. The right-hander began his World Series with a dazzling complete game in Game 2, in which he struck out eight and yielded only four hits to a high-powered Jays lineup. Not to mention, it was his second straight complete game following his gem against the Brewers in NLCS Game 2.

Yamamotoâ€s final World Series line: 3 games (2 starts), 1.02 ERA, 17 2/3 innings, 10 hits, 2 runs allowed, 2 walks, 15 strikeouts, a 0.68 WHIP — and 3 wins. He is the first pitcher with three wins in a World Series since Arizona’s Randy Johnson in 2001.

Yamamoto had not pitched on even four days’ rest since joining the Major Leagues in 2024. It was his performance on zero days’ rest that helped deliver another title to the Dodgers, who signed the right-hander out of Japan for 12 years and $325 million in December 2023.

A stunning shot out of the Dodgers†dugout emerged in the later frames of the 18-inning affair in World Series Game 3, when Yamamoto appeared to offer to pitch to manager Dave Roberts before warming in the bullpen in the 18th inning – just two days after his complete game.

With their backs against the wall in Game 6, the Dodgers once again turned to Yamamoto, who turned in six strong innings on 96 pitches to will his team to the eventual wild win to send the Fall Classic to Game 7.

And just when you think Yamamoto couldnâ€t have done more, Roberts shocked everyone, calling on the ace for a second straight day of work in the aforementioned Game 7 in the ninth inning, in which he walked the tightest of ropes, hitting a batter to load the bases before securing two wild outs – a forceout on a play at the plate against Daulton Varsho and a flyout of Ernie Clement caught in a crazy collision – to somehow wiggle out of the jam.

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