As the Dodgers celebrated another championship, Clayton Kershaw lit the fuse on a new Astros firestorm that has social media boiling over.NL

Dodgers Cement Dynasty, Kershaw Gets Last Word on 2017 Astros Scandal

The Los Angeles Dodgers have officially entered dynasty territory. With their third World Series title in six seasons, this current era of Dodger dominance isn’t just impressive – it’s historic. But to truly appreciate what this team has accomplished, you have to go back to where it all started: 2017.

That year marked the beginning of a nine-year stretch where the Dodgers reached the World Series five times. But their first trip in that run ended in heartbreak – Game 7, a loss to the Houston Astros. In hindsight, that series has become one of the most controversial in MLB history, thanks to the now-infamous sign-stealing scandal that clouded the Astros’ championship.

This year, the Dodgers didn’t just win another title – they exorcised some demons along the way. Clutch home runs from Miguel Rojas and Will Smith sealed the deal, delivering the kind of timely hitting that championship teams are built on.

With this win, the Dodgers now own three titles since that 2017 loss, while the Astros have added just one in that time. The scoreboard speaks for itself.

And while Astros fans continue to debate the legacy of their 2017 title, Clayton Kershaw isn’t interested in the back-and-forth.

“Stop crying and move on,” he said, responding to yet another social media post defending Houston’s title. Kershaw’s message was clear – the Dodgers have moved past it, and the results are on the field.

The veteran left-hander, now retired, reflected on his full-circle moment after the Game 7 win.

“I’ve been in one other seven-game World Series and we lost that one,” Kershaw said. “Ah, well, there’s an asterisk on that one. But we won this one.”

That comment wasn’t just a jab – it was a reminder. Kershaw is one of only a few players from the 2017 team still connected to this franchise, alongside Kiké Hernández and Brock Stewart, both of whom had stints with other clubs before returning.

But Kershaw? He’s been here the whole time.

He’s lived every inning of this journey. And now, he walks away with not just one ring, but three – and a legacy that’s no longer defined by what could’ve been.

Back in 2017, the loss to Houston was a gut punch. It was the Dodgers’ first trip to the Fall Classic since 1988, and for Kershaw – already on a Hall of Fame trajectory – it felt like a missed opportunity that might never come again.

But baseball, as it often does, found a way to balance the scales. The Dodgers have since built one of the most consistent and dominant runs in modern MLB history. They’ve developed homegrown stars, made savvy trades, and built a culture that wins – and wins big.

Meanwhile, the Astros’ window seems to be closing. They missed the playoffs in 2025 for the first time in a decade and are now staring down a bloated payroll and an aging core. The contrast between the two franchises couldn’t be clearer.

For Kershaw, this championship was more than just another trophy. It was vindication.

It was closure. And it was the perfect send-off for one of the greatest pitchers the game has ever seen.

So yes, the Dodgers are a dynasty. But more importantly, they’re a dynasty that earned every bit of it.