Shohei Ohtani and very good boy Decoy steal show at Dodgers’ World Series parade

The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their World Series victory during a glittering victory parade in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, basking in festivities denied them when the team won the 2020 baseball championship during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Large numbers of fans dressed in Dodger blue chanted “Freddie, Freddie” as the series’ Most Valuable Player Freddie Freeman rode atop one of the many double-decker buses that passed City Hall.

“It’s unbelievable,” Freeman said. “LA really showed up today. I think this made 2020.”

Japanese slugger Shohei Ohtani carried his brown and white dog, Decoy, who was wearing an Ohtani jersey. Decoy was a regular at Dodger Stadium during the season and became a fan favorite.

Players and fans enjoyed the team’s four-to-one victory over the New York Yankees, securing the franchise’s eighth title.

“There are no words for this,” said Hugo Mirandaho, a lifelong Dodgers fan who attended the team’s final championship parade in 1988.

“As you can see, we have so many fans here today. We’ve been waiting for this since 1988. In 2020 we had a championship, a lot of people didn’t call it a championship, but I think it was.”

The Dodgers won the title four years ago after a shortened 60-game season and no parade was held in an effort to stop the spread of the virus.

“I’m so happy we won. It’s great for the whole city,” said Dodgers fan Bobby Trahan.

“Everyone comes together and it’s nothing but a lot of love.”

In addition to Dodgers stars Ohtani, Freeman and three-time champion Mookie Betts, fan Jose Lara said someone else deserved some credit for the team’s victory.

“There is one person I would like to thank. None of this would have been possible without Aaron Judge,” he said of the Yankees slugger.

Judge struggled at the plate early in the series and made a crucial error in Game 5, which opened the door for an epic Dodgers comeback to secure the title.

“Thanks Aaron,” Lara said with a smile.

The crowd at the time spontaneously erupted into a rendition of “Happy Birthday” for Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela, the beloved Mexican pitcher who was born on November 1 and died last month.

“A lot of people say Fernando helped us,” said Dodger fan Bobby Trahan.

“Without Fernando we wouldn’t have won that last game, so thank you Mr. El Toro.”

Trahan said the team’s win only made him hungry for more.

“It feels really good and we want another one next year. “I think we can do it again,” he said.