Five months later, it’s still hard to believe.
The Dodgers clinched the World Series in a dramatic fashion. It seemed precarious at times, but they ultimately fought their way to victory.
In Los Angeles, that iconic Game 7 has taken on legendary status.
Meanwhile, in Toronto, the Blue Jays face a haunting memory as they prepare to host the Dodgers again for a World Series rematch.
The details remain vivid for everyone connected to that game. Even with the new season underway, the excitement from that series endures.
“We were pushed to the edge, but we found a way through,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy remarked. “For me, that’s what matters most. We faced real adversity and overcame it at a crucial moment.”
This backdrop raises questions as the series opener approaches on Monday.
Did the Dodgers ever waver during Game 7? At one point, did they pause amidst the chaos and think, “What if? Am I really about to lose this game?”
Last week, the California Post posed this question to some Dodgers players. Most insisted they never doubted. A few, perhaps more honest, admitted to some hesitation. Yet, they all expressed awe at the significance of their achievement—a comeback that would go down in baseball history.
Of the 16 players on last year’s championship team who answered the California Post’s survey, 11 said they didn’t have doubts.
For many, it seemed like trust in a team steeped in experience made the difference. “I’m not sure if it was because of our past or the atmosphere we had already faced,” Muncy noted. “But the vibe in the dugout was strong: ‘We’ve got a challenge ahead, but we can still do this.’
Teoscar Hernández added, “Our dugout was calm; we believed we could turn it around and tie the game.”
Some players just shifted focus pitch by pitch. “While you’re playing, all you can do is think about, ‘How are we going to come back?'” Tommy Edman reflected.
Quique Hernandez, dealing with an elbow injury that led to surgery, shared that he was just trying to get through it, saying, “Honestly, I was in so much pain; I was just trying to stay in the moment.”
That said, it didn’t mean there wasn’t worry, especially after Bo Bichette’s powerful homer put the Blue Jays ahead early. Muncy recalled, “When Bichette hit that three-run shot, I think all of us felt, ‘This could be serious.’”
Hernandez admitted, “Going down 3-0, I thought, ‘This could be tough.’”
Tyler Glasnow mentioned feeling nervous but held onto hope: “I wasn’t thinking we’d lose, but yeah, there was this strange feeling in my stomach.”
Yet, as the night progressed, the Dodgers found a way to rally. Justin Robleski expressed that he didn’t know how, but he felt something vibrant. Blake Snell, on the other hand, insisted he always believed they would win.
optimist
In contrast, the five players who admitted to having moments of doubt still maintained that they never surrendered to defeat.
In a game filled with ups and downs, it’s easy to understand how worries might surface. “I think most people thought we’d lose, so it would be dishonest to say we didn’t think about it,” Mookie Betts said. “You don’t want those thoughts, but who wouldn’t?”
Rojas echoed these sentiments, admitting, “I can’t lie; I was worried. Being down 3-0 in a World Series game makes you wonder if it’s the end.”
However, his fears faded quickly when the Dodgers scored in the fourth, helping to restore his belief. “Suddenly, I thought, ‘Okay, we’re still in this,’” he shared.
For others, the anxiety lingered until the ninth inning when the situation became dire. Freddie Freeman noted, “With one out left in that inning, I thought, ‘This is it.’”
Alex Cole recalled a moment of dread, saying, “When Rojas got to the plate, that was probably the most realistic part where I thought we might lose.”
comeback
By that point, the Dodgers had been chipping away at the lead, and Muncy’s homer in the eighth brought them within a run.
Throughout all the ups and downs, some players found ways to keep their spirits high in quieter moments. In the bullpen, Will Klein developed a superstitious routine, stating, “I looked for a way to be in a spot for good things to happen.”
Another player sought solace through prayer. “I sat in the bullpen and prayed. It felt like every time I let go of doubt, good things started to happen,” Blake Treinen shared.
Manager Dave Roberts reflected on the atmosphere in the dugout during the game, noticing the confident exchanges among players.
He compared this game to a previous World Series Game 7 where the team faltered early, noting how they showed resolve this time, even after going down 3-0.
Everything culminated when Rojas hit a game-tying homer, a moment that resonated powerfully with the team.
“We were so close,” Cole exclaimed. “And I thought, ‘I did it!’”
“After Miggy’s homer, I truly believed we could win,” Glasnow noted.
For Betts, it felt as though they were playing with a higher stake: “At that moment, it felt like I was playing with my family’s money.”
Jack Dryer recounted sitting next to Clayton Kershaw, who was stunned and repeating, “Oh my God! Oh my God!” over and over.
Roberts couldn’t help but smile as he witnessed Rojas’ swings, recalling that at one point, the Dodgers had only a 9% chance of winning.
“That wasn’t on my bingo card,” he humorously added about Rojas hitting a homer. “I was completely caught off guard.”
championship
As Cole aptly put it in an interview, the final stretch wasn’t without its tensions.
In the ninth, Rojas faltered and nearly made a costly error. “My thoughts were racing, ‘Wake up! Make that throw!’”
A review to see if Will Smith was on the plate also added to the drama. “I just kept thinking, ‘Is he on base? Will this all end up in a replay loss?’”
When Ernie Clement’s fly ball collided with players in the outfield, I thought, “This could be it.”
But the Dodgers navigated these hurdles, finally clinching victory in the 11th after Smith’s lead-off homer and Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s game-ending double play.
“There were so many times we could have lost,” Freeman said. “It felt surreal, wondering how we kept getting past these moments.”
Players agreed that the foundation of their success was built on years of tough playoff experiences.
“Even when things aren’t going well, we find a way to win,” Hernandez said. “That speaks volumes about who we are.”
Wrobleski, one of the newer members, added that regardless of the situation, it’s about improving and sharpening focus.
Rojas, the oldest position player, felt that resilience gave an added layer to their triumph. “I’m proud of how we remained composed,” he reflected. “It’s a memory I’ll carry forever.”
All these recollections will surely resurface when the Dodgers visit Rogers Center this week. Rojas quipped about looking forward to hearing boos for the first time, saying, “I can’t wait to feel that energy in the batter’s box again.”
Roberts predicted a charged atmosphere in response to the team, remarking, “I think the fans will be eager to see us. It should be quite exciting.”
As Treinen pointed out, “You could replay that series the same way—99 more times, and it’s likely we’d lose each one.”
Yet ultimately, the Dodgers managed to conjure a unique kind of magic during a game that will be forever etched in baseball lore.
Freeman chuckled, “Honestly, I still don’t know how we did it.”
