The Los Angeles Dodgers, along with Shohei Ohtani and his dog, celebrated their eighth World Series championship with a parade downtown on Friday.
Seven double-decker buses carrying players, their families, and coaches rolled through streets filled with fans dressed in blue. The Los Angeles Police Department estimated that around 150,000 people attended.
Manager Dave Roberts proudly held up the Commissioner’s Trophy. “This is incredible,” said World Series MVP Freddie Freeman. “LA really showed out today.” Many players enjoyed cigars and drank beer under the sunny sky.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever been part of,” pitcher Clayton Kershaw commented. “I’ve never seen this many people in my life. They’re all Dodger fans.”
Kiké Hernández, shirtless, hung over the front of his bus with a beer in hand. Ohtani cradled his dog, Decoy, while his wife, Mamiko, stood nearby.
“I’m totally overwhelmed with the amount of fans who are here,” Ohtani said through an interpreter as the bus moved along. “It’s been an incredible year. I’m so happy that I was able to contribute. The fans and everybody have been so welcoming.”
When asked if he would take off his shirt like Hernández, Ohtani smiled and shook his head, replying in English, “No, never.”
Walker Buehler, who pitched the last inning in the Series finale, did a beer bong while wearing Orel Hershiser’s jersey from the 1988 World Series championship.
“This is crazy, man. I love this,” said outfielder Teoscar Hernández.
Fans cheered and waved at their heroes during the parade, which took place on what would have been the 64th birthday of Fernando Valenzuela. He was the 1981 NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year winner who passed away just days before the World Series started.
The Dodgers won the championship by beating the New York Yankees in five games, securing the title with a 7-6 victory in the Bronx on Wednesday.
The team announced that due to logistics, traffic, and timing, fans wouldn’t be able to attend both the parade and the stadium event.
The parade began at Gloria Molina Grand Park and followed a 45-minute route, ending at the intersection of 5th and Flower streets.
The celebration continued at Dodger Stadium, where thousands of fans gathered to watch the parade on the videoboards while waiting for the team to arrive.
A part of the ticket sales from the stadium event will be donated to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.
There were more than a dozen arrests during the informal celebrations after the team’s comeback win to clinch the Series, with reports of burglaries, vandalism, and fires in some areas of the city.
