The Mainichi News : Baseball: Japanese trio instrumental to Dodgers’ World Series triumph
November 2, 2025 (Mainichi Japan)
From left, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate with a champagne fight in Toronto on Nov. 2, 2025 after the team won their second consecutive World Series baseball title. (Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) — The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their second straight World Series championship with a dramatic come-from-behind win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Saturday’s Game 7, thanks in large part to the crucial postseason contributions of Japanese trio Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki.
Ace right-hander Yamamoto was the winning pitcher in three of the games against the Blue Jays and became the first Japanese World Series MVP since Hideki Matsui with the New York Yankees in 2009.
The 27-year-old came out of the bullpen with zero days’ rest to close out the series in the 5-4 Game 7 win over 11 innings at Rogers Centre and finish the postseason with a 5-1 record.
“I trained today and was told I might pitch while resting, and then I found myself in the bullpen. We tied the game and next thing I knew, I was on the mound,” Yamamoto said after his stellar relief effort.
Yamamoto became the first-ever pitcher to win three road games in the Fall Classic, starting with a complete game in Game 2 to square the series 1-1 followed by a 6-inning Game 6 gem to keep Los Angeles alive at 3-3.
“I don’t feel like I’ve exceeded my limits, but this was the first time I’d pitched two days in a row since becoming a professional,” Yamamoto said. “I feel like I’ve reached another level.”
Yamamoto’s remarkable playoff performance, which also included a complete-game win in the National League Championship Series, came after he was the only member of the Dodgers’ starting rotation to pitch throughout the regular season.
“I believe everyone’s thinking Yoshinobu is the world’s No. 1 pitcher,” said Ohtani, who might otherwise have been MVP of the best-of-seven series.
The two-way superstar went 4-for-4 with three RBIs, three runs and five walks in one of the all-time great World Series offensive performances to spur the Dodgers to an incredible 6-5 win over 18 innings in Game 3 in Los Angeles.
He was knocked out just 2-1/3 innings into his start on the mound in Game 7 but continued to make offensive contributions as designated hitter.
“It was an incredible game, everyone played good baseball, and it was a wonderful win in the end,” Ohtani said.
World Series MVP is one of the few accolades to so far elude Ohtani, who made his two-way playoff debut this year and is expected to collect his fourth regular-season MVP award later this month.
Sasaki, whose Major League Baseball rookie season was cut short by shoulder trouble, reemerged in time to become an important part of the Dodgers’ playoff run.
The 23-year-old right-hander served as a high-leverage reliever and closer in an unfamiliar role, having been a starting pitcher throughout his professional career.
“It’s been a frustrating season,” Sasaki said. “But I’ve managed to pitch in the postseason, and it’s been a really good experience for me with the team also becoming the world champion.”
単語・熟語 発音記号 意味
trio /ˈtriːoʊ/ 三人組、三選手
instrumental /ˌɪnstrəˈmɛntəl/ 重要な役割を果たす
clinch /klɪnʧ/ （勝利・タイトルを）確実に勝ち取る
come-from-behind win /kʌm frʌm bɪˈhaɪnd wɪn/ 逆転勝利
ace /eɪs/ エース投手
right-hander /ˈraɪtˌhændər/ 右投手
bullpen /ˈbʊlpɛn/ （控え投手のいる）ブルペン
close out /kloʊz aʊt/ 試合やシリーズを締めくくる
postseason /ˈpoʊstˌsiːzən/ ポストシーズン、プレーオフ
stellar relief effort /ˈstɛlər rɪˈlif ˈɛfərt/ 素晴らしい救援登板
road game /roʊd ɡeɪm/ アウェイゲーム
complete game /kəmˈpliːt ɡeɪm/ 完投試合
gem /dʒɛm/ 素晴らしい投球（名投球）
starting rotation /ˈstɑːrtɪŋ roʊˈteɪʃən/ 先発投手ローテーション
two-way superstar /ˈtuː weɪ ˈsuːpərstɑːr/ 投打二刀流のスーパースター
RBI /ɑːr-biː-aɪ/ 打点（Run Batted In）
designated hitter (DH) /ˈdɛzɪɡneɪtɪd ˈhɪtər/ 指名打者
accolades /ˈækəˌleɪdz/ 賞賛、栄誉、表彰
high-leverage reliever /haɪ ˈlɛvərɪdʒ rɪˈlivər/ （重要な場面で投げる）勝利を左右する救援投手
closer /ˈkloʊsər/ クローザー、最後を締める投手
rookie season /ˈruːki ˈsiːzən/ ルーキーイヤー、新人シーズン
frustrating season /ˈfrʌstreɪtɪŋ ˈsiːzən/ 苛立たしいシーズン
playoff run /ˈpleɪˌɔːf rʌn/ プレイオフでの連勝・活躍期間
📖 全文日本語訳
ドジャースのワールドシリーズ制覇に日本人トリオが貢献
2025年11月2日、ロサンゼルス・ドジャースの大谷翔平、山本由伸、佐々木朗希は、トロントでチームが2年連続となるワールドシリーズ優勝を果たした後、シャンパンファイトで祝福した。
ドジャースは、トロント・ブルージェイズとの第7戦で逆転勝利を収め、連覇を達成。その勝利には、日本人トリオの重要なポストシーズンでの活躍が大きく貢献した。
右投手のエース山本は、ブルージェイズ戦で3試合に勝利し、ニューヨーク・ヤンキースの松井秀喜以来となる日本人ワールドシリーズMVPを受賞。ブルペンから無休で登板し、11回まで戦い5勝1敗でポストシーズンを締めくくった。
山本は「連投は初めてだったが、自分の限界を超えたとは感じていない。新たなレベルに到達した」と語った。ポストシーズンではナ・リーグ優勝シリーズも含め、素晴らしい投球を見せた。
大谷翔平は、投打二刀流として第3戦で4打数4安打、3打点、3得点、5四球を記録し、18イニングで6-5の逆転勝利に貢献。第7戦では2回1/3で降板したが、指名打者として攻撃面でも活躍した。
佐々木朗希は、ルーキーイヤーでの故障を乗り越え、重要な場面で登板する勝利を左右する救援投手やクローザーとしてプレーオフに復帰。「フラストレーションの多いシーズンだったが、チームと共に世界チャンピオンになるという貴重な経験を積めた」と語った。
コメント