‘Job in 2026 Begins Now:’ Dodgers Honor Kershaw However Three-Peat Marketing campaign Begins

[ad_1] LOS ANGELES - Twelve months in the past, on the identical stage he discovered himself again atop Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, Clayton Kershaw was beckoned to the dais by his teammates and coaches.

His ailing physique had not allowed him to contribute a lot to the workforce’s 2024 title run, however the Dodgers knew the longer term Corridor of Famer deserved the second, and the tears in his eyes displayed what it meant to him. So moved by the gesture, and the euphoria of successful his first full-season championship, Kershaw exclaimed to a fanbase that had lived and died with all of his spectacular successes and gut-wrenching failures over 17 seasons with the workforce that he was a "Dodger for all times."

One 12 months later, Kershaw couldn't have written a greater storybook ending to a legendary 18-year profession.

Clayton Kershaw, a champion in 2024, as soon as once more in 2025. (Getty Pictures)

Forty-six days after Kershaw introduced his impending retirement, 36 days after the tip of an everyday season by which the Dodgers wanted their all-time strikeout chief greater than they may have presumably imagined and 7 days after the 37-year-old lefty navigated his membership out of a bases-loaded jam by retiring the one batter he confronted within the World Sequence, Kershaw was the final participant with a microphone in his hand on the Dodgers’ second straight championship celebration Monday in Los Angeles.

"Final 12 months, I stated I used to be a Dodger for all times," Kershaw instructed the group. "At present, that’s true. And immediately, I get to say that I’m a champion for all times. And that’s by no means going away."

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has lengthy mentioned his intention of constructing this the golden period of Dodgers baseball.

With their second straight World Sequence title and third within the final six years cementing a dynasty, that period is right here.

"I feel, definitionally, it’s a dynasty," Friedman stated. "However that to me, in lots of methods, sort of caps it, for those who say, ‘OK, that is what it's.’ For me, it’s nonetheless evolving and rising, and we need to add to it, and we need to proceed it and do the whole lot we will to place it at a degree the place folks after us have a tough time reaching."

Shohei Ohtani soaks within the crowd at Dodger Stadium. (Picture by Ronald Martinez/Getty Pictures)

In 2020, the Dodgers ended a 32-year championship drought. In 2024, one other World Sequence win silenced the naysayers who tried to downplay the importance of their short-season title. Afterward, 42,468 followers packed Dodger Stadium to have fun in a means they couldn’t after the COVID-shortened season.

The workforce’s current historical past of success didn't mood town’s revelry this 12 months, as evidenced by the 52,703 cheering followers in attendance Monday at Dodger Stadium, the place the workforce's parade route ended after double-decker buses navigated the gamers and coaches by the streets of downtown L.A.

"For it to match the expertise we had final 12 months was unbelievable," Friedman stated, "and it truly is a gas that can push us to do the whole lot we will to do it once more and three-peat."

1000's lined the streets in downtown L.A. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances by way of Getty Pictures)

That was the prevailing theme of Monday’s celebration.

"What’s higher than two?" supervisor Dave Roberts exclaimed to the group, in a nod to his buddy Pat Riley. "Three! Three-peat! Three-peat! Let’s go!"

One after the other, the Dodgers’ gamers of prominence received their flip with the microphone. Nobody received a louder pop than World Sequence MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who earned the admiration of a metropolis by pitching on back-to-back days to earn wins in Sport 6 and seven. After shouldering the load of his workforce’s season, his MVP trophy was too heavy to elevate. On Monday, although, he stated his arm survived.

Yoshinobu Yamamato having fun with the championship vibes. (Picture by Ronald Martinez/Getty Pictures)

On stage, Will Smith and Miguel Rojas, two of the opposite heroes of Sport 7 in Toronto, shared a hug. Smith is a reminder of a report Dodgers payroll that energized the L.A. fanbase and agitated 29 others. Rojas, a 36-year-old part-time participant close to the tip of his profession, is an instance of the depth required past the celebrities to complete off a World Sequence title.

"It’s about everyone on this group doing what they should do when their identify is named," stated Rojas, who singled out a litany of gamers and performs that allowed the largest second of his profession to finally discover him.

Others had been extra boisterous concerning the workforce’s newest success.

"My teammates have been fairly humble," stated Kiké Hernández. "However I feel it’s time to speak that s---. Everyone’s been asking questions on a dynasty. How about three in six years? How a couple of back-to-back? Sure, we’re a mother-effin' dynasty, child."

Ultimately, that may’t be questioned, though it took greater than most anticipated to get so far. The Dodgers weren't the juggernaut many envisioned. As accidents amassed, their 93 wins had been their fewest since 2018. Their offense was risky. Their bullpen was abominable. Roberts navigated the workforce by its shortcomings, extracting the whole lot he may from his beginning pitchers to get the job completed.

The Blue Jays outscored the Dodgers within the World Sequence and scored 33 extra runs than them over the course of the postseason, regardless of taking part in in only one extra recreation. They had been two outs away from ending the Dodgers’ repeat bid.

However the Dodgers outlasted them.

And within the rapid aftermath of changing into the primary back-to-back winners in 25 years, they’re already wanting forward.

Mookie Betts, who now has 4 World Sequence rings, stated he’s able to fill his hand up. Shohei Ohtani, who has received titles in every of his first two years with the Dodgers, instructed the group in English that he’s "able to get one other."

Mookie Betts and Will Smith are gearing as much as make extra historical past in 2026.

Added Freddie Freeman: "Job in 2024, completed. Job in 2025, completed. Job in 2026, begins now."

Freeman remains to be ready for the workforce’s newest success to sink in. Final 12 months, the 2024 World Sequence MVP stated it took a couple of month for that to occur. Within the meantime, all he can deal with is getting ready for 2026, when the Dodgers will try to turn into the primary workforce to three-peat because the Yankees from 1998-2000.

"That’s the factor, we’re not attempting to do one thing that one other workforce did," Freeman stated. "We’re simply attempting to win each single 12 months. That’s why we do it. I’m gonna take in all probability three days off earlier than understanding once more and preparing for 2026. That’s what we do. We need to win. That’s why we play this recreation."

Just one participant on the championship stage received’t have to consider that grind once more.

A World Sequence title in 2020 introduced Kershaw reduction. One other in 2024 introduced him to tears. The newest despatched the Dodgers’ all-time strikeout chief out on high, along with his household subsequent to him on the championship stage.

"It’s past phrases," Kershaw stated. "At present’s so particular. I imply, you possibly can’t actually script it any higher."

(Picture by Jessie Alcheh/MLB Pictures by way of Getty Pictures)

Rowan Kavner is an MLB author for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand coated the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved again to the West Coast in 2014. Observe him on X at @RowanKavner.