Dodgers celebrate historic back-to-back World Series titles with downtown parade, stadium rally

LOS ANGELES: Shohei Ohtani and the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their second straight World Series championship with a downtown parade and stadium rally Monday after becoming the first team in 25 years to win back-to-back titles.

“Hello, hello,” Ohtani said, speaking in English at a sold out Dodger Stadium. “I want to say I’m so proud of this team. I want to say you guys are the greatest fans in the world. I’m ready to get another ring next year. Let’s go.”

Ohtani was accompanied by his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, who took a photo of him along the parade route. Last year, Ohtani carried his dog, Decoy, in his arms on the bus.

“It’s really nice to be able to win the game, and to be surrounded by all these amazing fans,” Ohtani said during the bus ride. “I’m really taking it in and enjoying it.”

World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto wore a black T-shirt with World Series champions on the front. Wearing sunglasses and a backward baseball cap, Yamamoto waved to fans.

“Losing isn’t an option,” Yamamoto told the stadium crowd in English. “To my teammates, my coaches, amazing staff and all the fans, we did it together. I love the Dodgers. I love Los Angeles.”

The team’s third Japanese player, rookie pitcher Roki Sasaki, celebrated his 24th birthday Monday.

Players walked a blue carpet from center field to a circular blue stage.

“What they talking about in Toronto right now?” actor-comedian Anthony Anderson asked the crowd. “They’re talkin’ about nothing.”

A woman in the crowd wore a blue T-shirt reading “Let’s ruin baseball.”

“I got four. Fill the hand all the way up, baby,” said Mookie Betts, who won a title with the Boston Red Sox and three with the Dodgers. “Three-peat has never sounded so sweet. Somebody