Dodger Legends Steve Garvey, Eric Karros, and Adrian Gonzalez Lead Rally on Santa Monica Promenade Ahead of World Series Showdown

Santa Monica, CA – October 23, 2025

Dodger greats Steve Garvey, Eric Karros, and Adrian Gonzalez headlined a vibrant "Catch the Blue Wave" pep rally Thursday night on the Third Street Promenade, rallying thousands of fans as the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare to defend their World Series title against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The event, hosted by Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. and the City of Santa Monica from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., featured autograph sessions, photo opportunities with the former players, and performances by the Palisades High School Cheer Squad.

The first 500 attendees received official Dodger cheer towels, while an 8-foot-tall Dodger Ball installation invited fans to sign and snap photos, igniting excitement for the series starting this weekend.

The Dodgers, fresh off a dominant four-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series, return to the World Series for the second consecutive year. Game 1 is set for Friday, October 24, at 5 p.m. PT at Rogers Centre in Toronto, with all games televised on Fox.

The best-of-seven series will see the Dodgers aiming to become Major League Baseball's first repeat champions since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000. The Blue Jays earned their spot with a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday, marking their first World Series appearance since their back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993.

Sophie right and Julianne dancing with unnammed Dodger fan

The series pits two contrasting teams against each other. The Dodgers, with a 93-69 regular-season record, boast a historically elite pitching rotation led by Shohei Ohtani, who clinched NLCS MVP honors with a three-homer, 10-strikeout performance in the series finale.

Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow have also posted ERAs below 1.90 in the postseason, giving Los Angeles a formidable edge. The Blue Jays, finishing with a 94-68 record, counter with a potent offense ranked fourth in MLB scoring during the regular season, led by ALCS MVP Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who's slashing .442/.510/.930 with six home runs in the playoffs. Rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage will start Game 1 for Toronto, adding intrigue to the matchup.

The schedule includes Game 1 and Game 2 in Toronto on October 24 and 25, respectively, followed by Games 3 and 4 on October 27 and 28 at Dodger Stadium. If necessary, Game 5 is set for October 29 in Los Angeles, with potential Games 6 and 7 on October 31 and November 1 back in Toronto. The Blue Jays hold home-field advantage due to their superior regular-season record. Fans at Thursday's rally, including local surfer Mark Woodward, expressed optimism, with Woodward noting, "The energy here is electric-Ohtani's unstoppable, and we're ready for another title."

The event also kicked off a week-long celebration in Downtown Santa Monica, featuring promotions and giveaways to keep the Dodger spirit alive. As the team prepares to face Toronto's red-hot lineup, which has hit 20 home runs in the postseason, the rally underscored the community's support for a franchise chasing its ninth World Series crown.