Yoshinobu Yamamoto is now an October legend.

As a rookie, the righthander helped the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the 2024 World Series with a quality start in Game 2. But in 2025, Yamamoto took his heroics to a whole new level.

After throwing 96 pitches in Game 6 on Friday night and helping the Dodgers force a Game 7, Yamamoto was seen warming up in the bullpen in the ninth inning of Game 7 one night later.

Even though Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the media before the game that Yamamoto would be available if needed, first baseman Freddie Freeman could not believe what he was seeing in the ninth inning.

“When I looked at him in the bullpen warming up I said, ‘No way. Yoshi is doing it!’” Freeman said on the FS1 postgame show following the Dodgers’ 5–4 win over the Blue Jays to clinch their second straight World Series title. “And then he came in and was firing darts; he had command. It was impressive.”

Yamamoto relieved Blake Snell in the bottom of the ninth with one out. After the Blue Jays loaded the bases, Yamamoto got out of the inning with a groundout and a fly out. He retired Toronto in order in the 10th, and in the 11th, Yamamoto allowed a single and double, but induced a game-ending double play to secure the win.

Again, his gritty Game 7 performance arrived one night after he allowed one run and fanned six batters in six innings Friday night in the Dodgers’ 3–1 season-saving win in Game 6. And let’s not forget about his eight-strikeout complete game in Game 2.

Yamamoto was officially crowned the 2025 World Series MVP on Saturday night. His manager summed it up best while taking the microphone in the Dodgers’ postgame celebration at Rogers Centre.

“Yamamoto is the GOAT!” he yelled. “He’s the GOAT! Yama’s the GOAT!”

In three World Series outings, Yamamoto allowed just two runs over 17 2/3 innings—good for a 1.02 ERA—with 15 strikeouts and two walks. As highlighted by MLB statistician Sarah Langs, Yamamoto is the first player to win three games in a single World Series since fellow MVP Randy Johnson did it in 2001—and just the fourth player to earn a win in both Game 6 and Game 7 of a World Series.

Legend.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 2025 World Series MVP, Etches His Name Into Postseason Lore.

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