World Series champion Dodgers have eye on back-to-back titles with Ohtani returning to mound in 2025

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ first game of the season in South Korea was overshadowed afterward by Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter hinting at his stealing from the Japanese superstar. Their last postgame was a beer and champagne-fueled celebration of the franchise’s eighth World Series title.

In between came a multitude of injuries, especially to the rotation as well as Mookie Betts' broken hand and Freddie Freeman's sprained ankle, Ohtani's historic 50/50 feat, the franchise's 11th National League West title in 12 seasons, and compiling the best record in the majors.

Then came the playoffs, where the Dodgers proved a resilient bunch.

They trailed rival San Diego 2-1 in the National League Division Series and rallied to win in five games.

They were pushed to six games in the NL Championship Series by the New York Mets before advancing.

They were about to lose the World Series opener until Freeman delivered the first walk-off grand slam in Series history. They ran through eight pitchers to eke out a 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees to close out the Series in five games.

“We just kept going. Even in the postseason, I don’t think anyone had us picked. I don’t think they had us picked to get out of the first series,” manager Dave Roberts said. “For us to go out there and fight and scratch and claw and win 11 games in October, that’s a credit to our guys.”

Investing a billion dollars to acquire Ohtani and fellow Japanese player Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason certainly paid off, even if Ohtani's playoff performance didn't match what he did during the regular season when his offense carried the Dodgers.

Ohtani reached career highs in home runs, stolen bases and RBIs and is the favorite to win NL MVP honors. In the playoffs, he went 2 for 19 with no RBIs and had one single after partially dislocating his shoulder in Game 2 of the World Series.

“What Shohei’s done to our ball club, the Dodger fan base domestically, globally, I just don’t think you can quantify,” Roberts said. "He was playing with one arm in the postseason. So most guys would probably tap out, but he was going to not be denied at playing and posting and being in the lineup."

The Dodgers made some key pickups at the July trade deadline, including pitchers Jack Flaherty — who was one of three healthy starters in the playoffs — and Michael Kopech as well as utilityman Tommy Edman, whose offense in the NLCS earned him MVP honors.

Ohtani’s former interpreter is on his way to jail on bank and tax fraud charges when he’s sentenced in December. Ohtani is going back to being a two-way sensation next year when he resumes pitching after he spent this season recovering from a second elbow surgery.

The Dodgers have eight players who became free agents when the World Series ended: Walker Buehler, Flaherty, Kiké Hernández, Teoscar Hernández, Daniel Hudson, Joe Kelly, Kevin Kiermaier and Blake Treinen.

Hudson announced his retirement after Wednesday night's victory, while Kiermaier had already said he planned to retire.

The Dodgers hold team options on Austin Barnes and Miguel Rojas for next season. Clayton Kershaw has a player option and has said he plans to be back after a toe injury kept him out of the playoffs.

But for now the celebration continues.

After winning a neutral-site World Series against Tampa Bay in 2020 and being denied a parade because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Dodgers have pent-up energy to burn.

“I’m sure there’s no asterisk on this one,” Roberts said.

They will commemorate their championship with a downtown parade and Dodger Stadium celebration on Friday, which would have been Fernando Valenzuela's 64th birthday. The 1981 NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year winner died last week.

“It’s going to be emotional,” said Roberts, who was friends with Valenzuela. “I know he’s smiling right now and very proud of this organization.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts celebrates their win against the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman celebrates their win against the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández (37) and Shohei Ohtani celebrate after the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Freddie Freeman celebrate their win against the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the baseball World Series, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates their win against the New York Yankees in Game 5 to win the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A high-ranking elected official in Southern California’s Orange County has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in a far-reaching scheme that misused COVID-19 relief funds that should have been used to feed the elderly.

Andrew Do, a county supervisor who recently resigned his post, entered the plea in federal court in Santa Ana, California, on Thursday under an agreement with federal prosecutors.

Do, 61, apologized to his family and people who depended on him in a statement he read in court.

“I have great sorrow for my actions,” he said.

Authorities said Do took more than half a million dollars in bribes while helping ensure federal COVID-relief funds were channeled to an organization that claimed to be feeding elderly and disabled people. The group, Viet America Society, where Do’s daughter, Rhiannon Do, was listed as an officer, didn’t spend most of the money it received for the meals on providing them, authorities said, adding some of the funds were spent on real estate.

The case comes in a long-running investigation into Viet America Society and as Orange County — which is home to more than 3 million people between Los Angeles and San Diego — filed a civil lawsuit saying the group misused federal funds.

Federal officials said only 15% of more than $9 million funneled to the group went to provide meals. Authorities said the group also received $1 million for a local Vietnam War memorial, which has yet to be completed.

In the investigation, authorities seized more than $2 million. Officials declined to immediately say how the rest of the money received by the group was used.

“This is an ongoing investigation,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told reporters after Thursday's court hearing. Spitzer said authorities were committed to recovering assets obtained in connection with the scheme and returning misused funds to the federal government.

Andrew Do came to the country as a Vietnamese refugee and grew up in Orange County before attending college and law school. He went on to become a prosecutor and city councilmember and later won a seat on Orange County’s five-person board of supervisors representing a cluster of communities, including surf-friendly Huntington Beach. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31.

Authorities have said Rhiannon Do is cooperating with the investigation under an agreement with prosecutors and won’t be charged.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer speaks with reporters on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, outside federal court in Santa Ana, Calif., after recently-resigned county supervisor Andrew Do pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in a corruption probe. (AP Photo/Amy Taxin)

CORRECTS NUMBER FILE - U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, left, OC District Attorney Todd Spitzer, center, and FBI Special Agent Ted Docks, speak at a press conference on Oct. 22, 2024, in Santa Ana, Calif., announcing that O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do agreed to plead guilty to accepting more than $550,000 in bribes and voting in favor of more than $9 million in COVID funds to a charity affiliated with one of his daughters. (Mindy Schauer/The Orange County Register via AP, File)

FILE - Supervisor Andrew Do, right, listens to Supervisor Todd Spitzer, left, during questioning of Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas in front of the Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting in Santa Ana on June 27, 2017. (Sam Gangwer/The Orange County Register via AP, File)