The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions again, and this time they got the parade the franchise never had when it last won baseball’s Fall Classic.
The Dodgers overcame a 5-0 deficit to beat the New York Yankees, 7-6, in Game 5 Wednesday night to clinch their second World Series championship in four years. But their 2020 title came amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and public health protocols in effect in Los Angeles at the time prevented a parade from happening.
This year was different. The Dodgers were once again the best team in baseball and then backed it up in the 2024 postseason. Accordingly, the city of Los Angeles and the team had a huge celebration to commemorate this team’s accomplishments on Friday. It even included a nod to Fernando Valenzuela, the franchise great who died right before the World Series began last month.
This was a memorable afternoon for Dodgers’ players and fans alike, one that they all said afterwards exceeded even their grandest expectations. The team received its long-awaited parade treatment from throngs of fans that lined the streets of Los Angeles and a sold-out celebration ceremony at Dodgers Stadium in which all the team’s stars spoke.
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Dodgers’ celebration is over, but Clayton Kershaw isn’t done
The formal ceremony at Dodger Stadium is over as most of the members of the 2024 World Series champions took the stage and thanked the fans. But many fans, players and their families are lingering, with the MLB simulcast providing more interviews with the Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw was among those to appear and he used it to make sure everyone knew his emotions weren’t a symbol for any sort of finality.
‘I’ll remember this the rest of my life,’ Kershaw said. ‘I’m so thankful that I’m gonna get to retire with a Dodger jersey on my back. Not soon, but whenever that day comes.’
Shohei Ohtani speaks at Dodgers World Series celebration
No interpreter needed for the Dodger Stadium celebration.
Clayton Kershaw: ‘Dodger for life’
The mic went from Mookie Betts to a tearful Teoscar Hernandez and then to Clayton Kershaw. The moment sank in for everyone as the crowd roared. Kershaw, a member of the Dodgers for 17 years, looked overwhelmed with emotion. He missed the Dodgers’ postseason run due to injury.
‘I’ve waited for this day for so long. I’ve waited to celebrate a long time,’ Kershaw told the crowd. ‘I didn’t have anything to do with this championship but it’s the best feeling in the world.’
‘Thank you. I love you guys. Dodger for life,.’ Kershaw added before posing once more with the World Series trophy along with the entire team.
Dodgers celebration features expletives, ‘Fat Joe’ jokes
Kiké Hernandez, shirtless during the Dodgers’ parade, just came out and dropped something akin to a wrestling promo as Dodgers players come up one-by-one to speak to the Dodger Stadium crowd.
Manager Dave Roberts called for the team to run it back. Walker Buehler took the mic and simply declared the Dodgers champions with a little profanity mixed in. Then came Hernandez.
‘Who has more championships in the 2020s than us?’ Hernandez asked rhetorically. ‘Absolutely nobody.’
He then thanked Ice Cube, both for Friday’s performance and the performance before Game 2. Hernandez said the Dodgers knew ‘we’d already won it’ as soon Ice Cube came out. He then took a dig at the New York Yankees and Fat Joe’s performance before Game 3 at Yankee Stadium.
‘He used to be fat, but he’s not fat anymore,’ Hernandez said. ‘After that performance, we’d already won.’
Ice Cube opens Dodger Stadium World Series celebration
Actor, rapper and entrepeneur Ice Cube opened the Dodger Stadium World Series celebration Friday with a performance, just like he did during Game 2 of the World Series. Wearing a No. 24 Dodgers jersey, he performed a couple of his songs and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts eventually joined him dancing on the stage set up in the outfield.
The rest of the Dodgers and their families are beginning to make their way out to the stage now.
Kiké Hernandez lost his shirt; Shohei Ohtani won’t
Dodgers outfielder Kiké Hernandez was at the front of his doubledecker bus during the Dodgers parade moving to the music without a shirt on.
Dodgers teammate Shohei Ohtani was subsequently asked from atop his bus on the MLB Network simulcast whether he might take his shirt off at some point during today’s celebration.
‘No,’ Ohtani said immediately in English, bypassing his translator. ‘Never.’
Earlier in the interview, Ohtani expressed astonishment at the number of Dodgers fans in attendance along the parade route. The players are starting to arrive at Dodger Stadium for today’s sold-out celebration ceremony.
Dodger Stadium sings happy birthday to Fernando Valenzuela
With Friday’s festivities occurring on Fernando Valenzuela’s birthday, the Dodger Stadium crowd made sure to pay tribute to the late pitching legend.
Actor Edward James Olmos took the mic and talked about Valenzuela’s legacy to Los Angeles and he started singing happy birthday before the rest of the crowd joined in. — Jordan Mendoza
Jack Flaherty wants to stay with Dodgers
Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty was acquired at the trade deadline to add depth to the pitching staff for the final push toward the postseason.
Flaherty pitched Game 1 and Game 5 of the World Series to help the Dodgers’ win their first title since 2020.
The right-hander will be a free agent this offseason.
‘I love this city and I never want to leave,’ Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty said from the parade on Spectrum SportsNet LA.
The Harvard Westlake alum grew up a Dodgers fan but mentioned that he had no idea just how much the team meant to the city of Los Angeles. Multiple players have stated that 2 million fans were expected out for the celebration today. — James H. Williams
Orel Hershiser sweater
Orel Hershiser, who helped pitch the Dodgers to the World Series championship in 1988 and is currently a broadcaster for the team, was seen at Friday’s parade in familiar if not nostalgic attire.
Hershiser was wearing the same sweater (or at least something eerily similar) that he wore to celebrate the Dodgers’ championship 36 years ago.
Hershiser’s fashion sense is certainly up for debate.
Shohei Ohtani’s dog, Decoy, ready for parade
With the Dodgers players bringing their families along for the championship parade, star Shohei Ohtani made sure to bring his.
The slugger’s famous dog, Decoy, joined his father on the route. — Jordan Mendoza
Walker Buehler beer bong at Dodgers World Series parade
The parade is underway as the buses move through downtown Los Angeles and we’ve already seen a candidate for the Dodgers player enjoying himself the most. Pitcher Walker Buehler was captured on camera atop his doubledecker bus using a beer bong while wearing the 1988 game-worn Orel Hershiser jersey he wore walking into Dodger Stadium for Game 1 of the World Series.
It was given to him by Hershiser, who won the 1988 World Series as a Dodgers pitcher and was laughing along during the MLB Network broadcast of the parade as this all played out. Hershiser declared he no longer needed or wanted the jersey back.
They’re having a lot of run in the streets of L.A. today.
Dodgers parade will also be Fernando Valenzuela tribute
The first Dodgers World Series championship parade since 1988 is being held on what would have been Fernando Valenzuela’s 64th birthday. The Dodgers legend, who was a member of that 1988 team, died last month and the team did not initially announce a cause of death or more details. Tributes came from far and wide during the World Series and they’ll continue for today’s celebration given the circumstances.
A memorial in Valenzuela’s honor is being filled with a new wave of messages – including Happy Birthday balloons – as fans flood Dodger Stadium for today’s celebration.
Dodgers arriving soon on doubledecker buses
The Dodgers’ players, staff and their families are aboard doubledecker buses while on the parade route, and aerial coverage from the USA TODAY live stream of today’s events captured their departure from Dodger Stadium and impending arrival for the start of the parade. The streets are filled with Dodger blue at this point. Horns are beeping as the buses get closer to all the fans. What a scene.
Dodger Stadium crowd growing
LOS ANGELES — If the crowd at the parade in downtown Los Angeles wasn’t already a frenzy, just a few miles north, Dodger Stadium is already getting packed for the championship celebration. People started entering the parking lots at 8 a.m. PT and, in just one hour, long lines outside the stadium gates and stores already formed. — Jordan Mendoza
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For the next 100 days, 30 Major League Baseball franchises will change their shapes, increase their ceilings, dream big and buy low, all in service of improving by the time pitchers and catchers reassemble in February.
A look at Gabe Lacques’ post-World Series rankings.
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Freddie Freeman delivers after months of anguish
Freddie Freeman had just won the World Series championship. He was voted the Most Valuable Player award. He sprayed champagne with his teammates. He embraced his father on the field. He hugged and kissed his wife and son.
He was just about to return to the raucous clubhouse when he was asked about that harrowing, emotional time in late July, the one that nearly turned his life upside down.
This had to do with Maximus, his 3-year-old son. Freeman had to leave the team for eight days in July. He seriously considered the possibility of not coming back until next spring.
How many fans expected at Dodgers World Series parade?
The official start of the Dodgers’ World Series parade is still almost two hours away, but fans have already lined the streets around City Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Mayor Karen Bass indicated in a social media post Friday morning the city is expecting “tens of thousands” of people to come downtown for the day’s festivities and the first Dodgers’ championship parade since 1988.
When is Dodgers World Series parade?
The Dodgers and their fans will celebrate the 2024 World Series title on Friday, Nov. 1, which is also Fernando Valenzuela’s birthday. The Dodgers’ legend died on Oct. 22 due to an undisclosed illness. The Dodgers last paraded in Los Angeles after winning the 1988 World Series.
What time is Dodgers World Series parade?
The Dodgers’ parade in downtown Los Angeles is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. local). Following the parade, a special ticketed ceremony at Dodger Stadium will begin at approximately 3:15 p.m. ET (12:15 p.m. local).
What will Dodgers World Series parade feature?
The Dodgers’ parade commemorating their 2024 World Series title will begin at Gloria Molina Grand Park on Spring Street in front of City Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Mayor Karen Bass will officially kick off the parade, according to the team, and it will then continue on a 45-minute route from 1st Street to Grand Avenue to 5th Street, culminating at the intersection of 5th and Flower Street. Dodgers’ players will be traveling atop double-decker buses.
The victory parade is free for fans to attend. The ticketed celebration at Dodger Stadium follows soon after the parade is completed. Team officials have indicated it is logistically impossible for fans to attend both events. Dodger Stadium parking gates will open at 8:30 a.m. PT, and stadium entry gates will open at 9 a.m. PT for the celebration ceremony.
How to watch Dodgers World Series parade
Both the Dodgers’ World Series parade and Dodger Stadium celebration will be broadcast nationally in their entirety on the MLB Network. MLB Network’s coverage will be simulcast on MLB.com, Spectrum SportsNet LA and other local television channels in Los Angeles. You can stream MLB Network through Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
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This story was updated to add a video.