Los Angeles Angels Complete Historic Season Sweep Over Los Angeles Dodgers

The reigning World Champions were no match for their crosstown rivals this week, getting swept in the Freeway Series for the second time in 2025.
Anaheim, California, USA;  Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) and right fielder Jo Adell (7) celebrate a win after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 at Angel Stadium.
Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) and right fielder Jo Adell (7) celebrate a win after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 at Angel Stadium. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers may be the reigning World Series champions with a higher payroll and more superstars than previously thought possible, but they don't even hold the belt in their own city this year.

The Los Angeles Angels beat the Dodgers 6-5 on Wednesday night, capping off a three-game sweep in Anaheim. They already swept their crosstown foes on the road back in May, so they have officially won the 2025 Freeway Series 6-0, outscoring the Dodgers 43-30.

According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, this marks just the fifth time in MLB history that the reigning World Series champions have been swept in a season series against any team, minimum six games. It happened to the Dodgers just last month, as they failed to win any of their six games against the surging Milwaukee Brewers.

Before this year, the only reigning champions who had been swept in a season series were the 1998 Florida Marlins, who fell victim to the fate three times.

Not much of the blame can be placed on Shohei Ohtani, who hit .333 with three home runs, a triple and five walks a 1.240 in six games against his former team. And while he allowed four runs in 4.1 innings Wednesday, he still left the mound with the lead.

Justin Wrobleski and Edgardo Genriquez combined for the loss and blown save respectively, though, spoiling the Dodgers' chances of avoiding the sweep.

The Dodgers are now 1.0 game behind the San Diego Padres in the NL West standings, and 1.0 game behind the Chicago Cubs for the top NL Wild Card spot. After starting the season an MLB-best 56-32, Los Angeles is 12-21.

As for the Angels, they are still three games under .500. That has them 5.0 games out of the third and final AL Wild Card spot with three teams standing between them and the New York Yankees.

Related MLB Stories

  • BREWERS ERUPTING: William Contreras, Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick each played major parts in the Milwaukee Brewers' blowout win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. CLICK HERE
  • ORIOLES INJURY UPDATES: Colton Cowser won't be ready to rejoin the Baltimore Orioles' lineup when he is eligible Thursday, while Tyler O'Neill isn't set to be back until September. CLICK HERE
  • LAA-LAD TRIPLE PLAY: The very first triple play in the history of the Freeway Series just happened to feature Shohei Ohtani lining out against his former team. CLICK HERE

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer covering baseball for “Fastball on SI.’’ He previously covered UCLA Athletics for On SI’s All Bruins site, and is a UCLA graduate, with his work there as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for On SI’s New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Sam lives in Boston.

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