Baseball season has come to an end and the Los Angeles Dodgers were crowned the World Series Champions. As we patiently await opening day 2025, let’s take a look back on an exciting, fun, and historic baseball season – including international games, no-hitters, home runs, music, friendship, and more.
Big Hit Moments
Courtesy of Major League Baseball
Teoscar Hernandez became the first Dodger to earn the title of Home Run Derby champion. The competition was held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on July 15. Of the eight competitors, Hernandez was projected one of the least likely to win – second to last to be exact, just one spot ahead of Philadelphia Phillies infielder Alec Bohm. Despite the odds, these two unlikely contenders went head-to-head in a swing-off in the second round to go against Kansas City Royals star, Bobby Witt Jr., in the championship round. In the final round, Hernandez’ 14 home runs overcame Witt’s 13 for the title.
Shohei Ohtani – needless to say, has had quite the season. He had a 50/50 season, creating his own club on Sept. 19 against the Miami Marlins. Although he did not pitch this season amidst his recovery from Tommy John surgery last year, he still had a huge impact on the team.
Aaron Judge hit his 300th career home run against the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 14, making history. He became the fastest player ever to hit 300 home runs. Judge also led the league with 58 home runs.
Courtesy of the New York Yankees
This season, Juan Soto, one of the most well-known players in baseball hit 41 home runs, a personal all-time career high for home runs in a single season. There are two moments where he had fans astonished with his skill and game. The first was on Aug. 13 against the Chicago White Sox, Soto’s first three-home-run game. Then on Oct. 19 against the Cleveland Guardians for the championship series, both teams were tied with two runs going into the 10th inning – the winner destined for the World Series. While at the plate, 2-2 count, Soto hit a three-run home run bomb to send his team to the World Series.
Power Pitching
Courtesy of LM Otero, AP Photo
As a rookie for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Paul Skenes has already contributed significantly to the team. He made his major league debut on May 11 against the Chicago Cubs, and just two months later was one of the National League’s starting pitchers for the All-Star Game. Skenes is only the fifth-ever rookie to start in the ASG.
There were a total of four no-hitters this season. Each of which were pitched by the Houston Astros’ Ronel Blanco against the Toronto Blue Jays, the San Diego Padres’ Dylan Cease against the Washington Nationals, and the San Francisco Giants’ Blake Snell against the Cincinnati Reds. Meanwhile, three Chicago Cubs pitchers threw a combined no-hitter against the Pirates. Combined, all 30 teams had 321 shut-out games.
Snell had 15 strikeouts across six innings against the Colorado Rockies on July 27, the most strikeouts thrown in one game this season.
Fun on the Field
Courtesy of Charles Wenzelberg, New York Post
Jose Iglesias, second baseman for the New York Mets, wrote a song titled “OMG” and performed it on the field after the Mets’ 7-2 win against the Astros on June 28. The song quickly became a big hit for Mets fans. They soon after crafted blue and orange“OMG” signs and wore merchandise with the phrase.
Dominican rapper El Alfa released a song titled “Soto Shuffle” about Juan Soto and the iconic shuffle he does at the plate. The song also mentions how great of a player Soto is and how great the fans in the Bronx are.
There were 5,453 home runs hit during the regular season, plus an additional 98 home runs in the postseason.
International Innings
Courtesy of Ahn Young-joon, AP Photo
The MLB season opener between the Dodgers and the Padres took place in Seoul, South Korea. This two-day series ended in a tie, with the Dodgers taking the first game, 6-4, and Padres taking the second, 15-11. Chan Ho Park threw the first pitch of the game, the first South-Korean born player in MLB history. He played with the Dodgers, Padres and Phillies throughout his career, from 1994 to 2011.
In late April, the Astros swept the two-day series against the Rockies in Mexico City, Mexico.
The Mets and Phillies met up in London, England to play a series in early June. Another two-day series tied, the Phillies won game one, 7-2, and the Mets won game two in a close game, 6-5.
During spring training, the Red Sox defeated the Rays in their two-day matchup in the Dominican Republic.
Best Moments from the Postseason
Courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Freddie Freeman had an incredible postseason performance with four home runs in five World Series games. In game one, the Dodgers and Yankees were in the 10th inning, with the Yankees leading 1-0. The Dodgers had two outs on the board when Freeman hit a walk-off Grand Slam. This was the first time someone hit a walk-off Grand Slam in the World Series.
The Yankees were down 0-3 to the Dodgers in game four of the series. In the third inning, Anthony Volpe hit a Grand Slam. This was only the second time a shortstop has hit a Grand Slam in the World Series. Out of the 11 runs the Yankees scored, Volpe had three runs and batted in four.
Freeman was the World Series MVP, Tommy Edman was the National League Championship Series MVP and Giancarlo Stanton was the American League Championship Series MVP. Edman had 11 runs batted in during the series. Stanton had four hits during the series, all of them home runs.
Edited by Brittany Snow
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