By Jorge Casuso
October 23, 2025 -- A pep rally to whip up Dodgers fans will be held on the Promenade this evening as the team heads back into the World Series rocketed by Shohei Ohtani's epic performance.
The rally -- which takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on the mid block of the walk street -- will feature former Dodgers Adrian Gonzalez, Eric Karros and Steve Garvey signing autographs and posing with fans.
The event, Downtown officials said, will transform "the heart of the Westside into a sea of Dodger blue and fan pride" on the eve of Friday's Series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at 8 p.m. at Rogers Centre.
The rally features main stage remarks with special emcees Jaclyn Ruiz and Melisser Myer, hosts of the “Talk Dodgers To Me” podcast, who will lead the crowd in Dodgers cheers, according to Downtown Santa Monica, Inc (DTSM), which is staging the event.
There will also be a "360° Fan Photo Booth, an 8-foot-tall baseball for fans to sign and snap photos, and a performance by the Pali High School Cheer Squad.
The Entertainment Zone on the Promenade will feature a beer activation that allows brands to market their product tied to the event and official Dodger Cheer Towels for the first 500 guests.
The rally kicks off a week-long celebration throughout Downtown Santa Monica with special promotions and giveaways.
After a performance hailed as one of the greatest in American sports history, Ohtani made sure to stress it took the whole team to clinch the National League pennant Friday.
“Shohei Ohtani’s NLCS MVP trophy is on display in the middle of the Dodgers’ clubhouse with a ‘Team Effort’ sign covering the Most Valuable Player engraving,” Blake Williams, the managing editor for Dodger Blue, noted on X.
Dion Sanders -- the only player to appear in both the World Series and Super Bowl -- said he was awestruck by Ohtani's performance Friday that featured three home run blasts and 10 strikeouts over six scoreless innings.
“Can they just hand him the MVP during the game?” the Colorado Buffaloes coach said at his weekly news conference. “That is ridiculous, man.”