Ohtani Hits First World Series Home Run but Dodgers Lose Game 1 to Blue Jays

The 2025 World Series began with a decisive 11-4 victory for the Toronto Blue Jays over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Toronto's Rogers Centre, highlighted by a historic nine-run sixth inning including a grand slam by Addison Barger. Despite the Dodgers' loss, Shohei Ohtani stood out by hitting his first-ever World Series home run, a two-run shot in the seventh inning, marking him as only the second Japanese-born player, after Hideki Matsui, to homer in a World Series. Ohtani, a two-way superstar and five-time All-Star, contributed two RBIs in Game 1, though his efforts were not enough to overcome Toronto's offensive explosion. The Dodgers, favored to win and coming off a strong postseason, struggled with their pitching, particularly in the bullpen during the sixth inning. Ohtani has been a key figure for the Dodgers, having hit multiple home runs and delivered strong pitching performances in the postseason leading up to the World Series. Game 2 is set to continue in Toronto with the Dodgers seeking to even the series against the Blue Jays.