Yankees vs. Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto Leads L.A. to 2-0 World Series Lead, but Everyone Holds Their Breath for Shohei Ohtani

The 2025 World Series has proven to be an instant classic, a spectacle of baseball brilliance, drama, and the ever-present spotlight of anticipation surrounding Shohei Ohtani. This year, the New York Yankees, a storied franchise with a rich legacy, face the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team on the brink of greatness with an undeniably potent roster. After two games, the Dodgers have taken a 2-0 series lead, but even with that advantage, every eye remains on one man—Shohei Ohtani.

Game 1: A Pitching Masterpiece

The scene was set in Dodger Stadium, the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles adding an extra layer of spectacle to what promised to be an unforgettable World Series. The Dodgers came into the series as the favorites, with a lineup stacked with stars, but it was their ace, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who would steal the show in Game 1. Yamamoto had been nothing short of spectacular throughout the postseason, and his performance on the World Series stage only added to his reputation as one of the best pitchers in baseball today.

From the moment he took the mound, Yamamoto’s command of the strike zone was evident. He had been working tirelessly all season on perfecting his split-finger fastball, and in Game 1, that pitch was unhittable. The Yankees’ powerful lineup, led by Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, was powerless against Yamamoto’s exquisite control. He racked up strikeouts in bunches, leaving the Yankees swinging at air, unable to make solid contact with his pitches.

By the time the game was over, Yamamoto had pitched seven shutout innings, allowing only four hits and striking out ten Yankees batters. His performance was a masterclass in pitching, blending power with precision, and leaving the Yankees hitters guessing all night long. The Dodgers won Game 1 with a 3-0 victory, and Yamamoto’s dominance was the talk of the town.

“It’s always about execution,” Yamamoto said after the game through a translator. “I trust my stuff, and when I’m able to locate like that, it gives me the best chance to succeed. The Yankees are a great team, but tonight was my night.”

But as the Dodgers celebrated their victory, the story was far from over. While the Yankees were left to lick their wounds, one player in particular was conspicuously absent from the festivities—Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese phenom had been expected to play a major role in the series, both as a pitcher and a hitter. However, his status for Game 1 had been clouded in uncertainty due to lingering injury concerns. Ohtani had been battling a minor strain in his oblique, which had caused the Dodgers’ medical staff to hold him back in an effort to ensure he was fully healthy for the most important games of the season.

Game 2: The Dodgers Extend Their Lead

Game 2 of the series was no less dramatic than Game 1, though this time, the Yankees were determined to bounce back and avoid falling into an insurmountable 2-0 hole. The game was set to be a pitcher’s duel, with the Dodgers sending their second ace, Clayton Kershaw, to the mound. Kershaw, who had been a postseason legend throughout his career, was looking to add to his legacy with another World Series victory.

On the other side, the Yankees countered with Gerrit Cole, a pitcher who had been dominant all season but struggled with his command at times. With both teams’ aces on the mound, it promised to be a tight, low-scoring affair.

Kershaw, however, was on a mission. After struggling in the postseason in years past, he was now playing with a sense of urgency and a desire to cement his place as one of the greatest postseason pitchers of all time. Kershaw’s performance was vintage, as he retired the Yankees’ potent lineup with ease. His fastball command was impeccable, and his curveball had the Yankees batters chasing bad pitches. By the time the seventh inning rolled around, Kershaw had struck out eight batters and allowed just two hits.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ offense was firing on all cylinders. Mookie Betts led off the game with a single, and Freddie Freeman followed with a walk. Max Muncy then hit a three-run homer, putting the Dodgers up 3-0 early in the game. The Yankees, unable to get anything going against Kershaw, found themselves trailing by three runs before they even had a chance to settle in.

But the real turning point of Game 2 came in the bottom of the fifth inning. With the Dodgers leading 4-1, Shohei Ohtani was finally inserted into the game as a pinch hitter. It was a moment that everyone had been waiting for—his first appearance in the World Series. The stadium erupted as Ohtani stepped to the plate. Despite his injury concerns, Ohtani’s presence was enough to send a surge of electricity through the Dodgers’ dugout and the fans in the stands.

Ohtani quickly fell behind 0-2 against Gerrit Cole but worked the count back to 3-2. The tension in the stadium was palpable. On the 3-2 pitch, Ohtani hammered a high fastball into left field, sending the ball soaring into the stands for a two-run homer. The crowd went wild, and Ohtani rounded the bases with a grin on his face, clearly relieved and elated to contribute in such a big way.

“That was a big moment for me,” Ohtani said after the game. “I’ve been working hard to get back to full strength, and it felt good to help my team like that. We’re all in this together.”

The Dodgers would go on to win the game 5-2, with Ohtani’s homer serving as the punctuation mark. The Dodgers now held a commanding 2-0 series lead as the teams headed to New York for the next three games.

The Anticipation for Ohtani

While the Dodgers were in control of the series, the drama was far from over. Ohtani’s appearance in Game 2 had silenced any doubts about his readiness, but there was still uncertainty surrounding his role for the remainder of the series. Would he continue to contribute as both a hitter and a pitcher? Or would his injury flare up again, limiting his impact?

The spotlight now shifted to Ohtani’s health, and his performance in New York would dictate the course of the series. The Yankees, although trailing, knew that they still had the potential to overcome the Dodgers. With their own ace, Gerrit Cole, struggling in Game 2, they would need their big hitters, including Judge and Stanton, to step up and deliver the offense necessary to battle back.

But for the Dodgers, the story was clear: as long as Ohtani remained healthy, they were poised to continue their dominant run. His presence in the lineup and his potential to contribute on the mound made the Dodgers even more dangerous. A healthy Ohtani was a game-changer, and with every passing day, his legend grew.

Looking Ahead: The Tension Builds

As the series shifted to Yankee Stadium, the tension was at an all-time high. The Yankees would need to win at least one game at home to keep their hopes alive. With Ohtani in the lineup and Yamamoto still at the top of his game, the Dodgers appeared to be in a commanding position, but the Yankees were not going to go down without a fight.

Shohei Ohtani’s performance in Game 3, along with the efforts of his teammates, would determine whether the Dodgers could close out the Yankees early or whether the Bronx Bombers could mount a comeback of epic proportions. All eyes were on Ohtani, whose every swing of the bat and every pitch on the mound carried the weight of the moment. The 2025 World Series had already become a memorable one, but the story was far from finished.

Would Ohtani’s brilliance be enough to push the Dodgers to their first championship in nearly 40 years? Or would the Yankees’ resilience and star power be too much to overcome?

The answer, as always in baseball, was uncertain. But one thing was clear—the world was watching, and the stakes had never been higher.