On the night of October 27, 2025, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays engaged in an 18-inning, six-hour and 39-minute marathon in Game 3 of the World Series that immediately entered the conversation as one of the greatest postseason games ever played. The Dodgers finally prevailed 6-5 on a walk-off home run by Freddie Freeman, but not before a performance for the ages by Shohei Ohtani, heroic pitching from multiple bullpens, and relentless action that spanned deep into the night. The game tied the 2018 World Series Game 3 for the longest in postseason history.
A game of records and heroics
The game was a back-and-forth epic, filled with storylines that made it a truly historic event:
- Ohtani’s historic night: Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani had one of the most memorable offensive performances in World Series history, reaching base a record nine times. He hit two home runs, two doubles, and drew five walks, four of which were intentional. In the process, he tied a 119-year-old major league record with four extra-base hits in a single World Series game.
- A bullpen battle: Both teams’ bullpens delivered heroic performances to keep the game going. The Dodgers used 10 relievers, who combined to throw 14 innings. Veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw came out of the bullpen in a bases-loaded jam in the 11th inning to keep the game tied. Meanwhile, Blue Jays relievers combined for 12 innings of quality work before the walk-off.
- Freeman’s walk-off: After an agonizing delay of nearly seven hours, Freddie Freeman ended the game with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 18th. His heroic blast was the deciding factor in the 6-5 victory.
Other MLB postseason games that could compare
| Game | Teams | Notable Event(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 World Series, Game 7 | Pittsburgh Pirates vs. New York Yankees | Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth gave the Pirates a 10-9 victory and the World Series title. |
| 1975 World Series, Game 6 | Cincinnati Reds vs. Boston Red Sox | Carlton Fisk’s iconic walk-off home run in the 12th inning, punctuated by his arm-waving as he urged the ball fair, forced a Game 7. |
| 1986 World Series, Game 6 | Boston Red Sox vs. New York Mets | With the Red Sox one strike away from winning the series, the Mets rallied to win, capped by Mookie Wilson’s grounder famously going through Bill Buckner’s legs. |
| 1988 World Series, Game 1 | Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Oakland Athletics | Injured Dodgers slugger Kirk Gibson hit a dramatic two-run walk-off homer off Dennis Eckersley in the bottom of the ninth. |
| 1991 World Series, Game 7 | Minnesota Twins vs. Atlanta Braves | This classic pitchers’ duel ended in the 10th inning when the Twins’ Gene Larkin hit a pinch-hit, walk-off single. |
| 2001 World Series, Game 7 | Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Yankees | Mariano Rivera, arguably the greatest closer of all time, blew a save in the ninth inning. The Diamondbacks won on Luis Gonzalez’s walk-off hit. |
| 2011 World Series, Game 6 | St. Louis Cardinals vs. Texas Rangers | With the Cardinals twice down to their last strike, David Freese came through with a game-tying triple and later hit a walk-off home run. |
| 2016 World Series, Game 7 | Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians | The Cubs broke a 108-year championship drought with an 8-7, 10-inning victory, featuring a late-inning rally by the Indians and a rain delay. |
| 2017 World Series, Game 5 | Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers | A high-scoring affair with multiple lead changes, ending with a walk-off hit for the Astros. |
