03/28/26 01:23:00
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03/28 01:21 CDT Put a ring on it: Dodgers receive glittering World Series
jewelry to mark back-to-back titles
Put a ring on it: Dodgers receive glittering World Series jewelry to mark
back-to-back titles
By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- The Los Angeles Dodgers slipped glittering World Series
championship rings on their fingers to celebrate their second straight title
Friday night in a pregame ceremony.
Shohei Ohtani removed his ring from a blue box that includes a video playing
highlights from last year's postseason run that culminated in a Game 7 win over
the Toronto Blue Jays. The Japanese superstar put it on and held up a fist in
celebration.
"Today was a full day of emotions for me and for the boys," infielder Miguel
Rojas said. "This is how we close a chapter of the 2025 season and it was
amazing for us, give us motivation for what we have ahead of us."
It's the first time in the Dodgers' storied history that the team won World
Series titles back-to-back. It was their third championship in six years.
"The ring was gorgeous, substantial, pretty big," marveled manager Dave Roberts.
Shortstop Mookie Betts owns four World Series rings --- three with Los Angeles
and one with Boston. He's made no secret of wanting to go from being a
five-tool player to one with five rings. He jogged on a blue carpet to a stage
in front of the mound with a big smile on his face.
"It's just super special," Betts said after the Dodgers' 5-4 win over the
Arizona Diamondbacks. "I looked at it for a little bit, but I was so focused on
the game that I really didn't get to take it in like I want to, so I'll
probably look at it tonight."
The loudest cheers went to World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who waved to
the crowd. When Freddie Freeman accepted his third ring, fans chanted "Freddie!
Freddie!" He won his first title with Atlanta.
Ohtani, Freeman and Betts posed with their fists out. The entire team gathered
around the mound to show off their bling at the end of the ceremony hosted by
actor-comedian Anthony Anderson. The USC marching band played and stood in an
LA formation in the outfield.
"Didn't like it," joked Roberts, who graduated from rival UCLA. "They did mix
in the UCLA fight song, but I still wasn't a fan."
Orel Hershiser, pitching hero of the franchise's 1988 World Series run, took
the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. He was called back and
replaced by pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who retired last season after 18 years
with the Dodgers. He tossed the ball and was then presented his ring by Betts.
Earlier, Kershaw spent time in the clubhouse among his former teammates.
"He deserved that ovation and that ring," Betts said. "He's a winner and he
went out on top."
Studded with diamonds and sapphires, the jewelry contains a ring-within-a-ring
feature and includes dirt gathered from home plate in Game 7.
A total of 86 diamonds in 14-karat yellow gold spell out world champions around
the face. A single diamond symbolizes being the No. 1 team in baseball.
"This ring means a lot more than what people really think," said Rojas, who
plans to retire at season's end. "It's kind of like remembering what happened
last year and how special it was."
The L.A. logo contains 17 blue sapphires, representing the number of postseason
games the team won. Behind the logo are 79 diamonds with 48 round sapphires.
The dates of the team's nine World Series championships and 15 round sapphires
encircle the ring top. Another 50 diamonds decorate the top and bottom of the
bezel. A total of 70 round diamonds frame the centerpiece.
Each ring has the player's own signature engraved on the interior of the band.
"Back 2 Back" is in blue on the right side of the ring. The exterior band
features the numbers 4,012,470, signifying the Dodgers' attendance in 2025.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
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