Dodgers’ dramatic Game 7 win over Blue Jays averages nearly 26 million U.S. viewers in early ratings

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ dramatic 5-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night in one of the wildest Game 7s in World Series history is ranking as the most-watched Fall Classic game since 2017.

The game averaged a combined 25.98 million viewers on Fox, Fox Deportes and Fox Sports streaming services, according to Nielsen Panel Only Fast Nationals and Adobe Analytics. Final numbers are expected to be released on Tuesday.

The early numbers would mark a 10% increase over the 23.19 million average from the last Game 7, which was the Washington Nationals defeating the Houston Astros 6-2 in 2019.

Houston’s 5-1 victory over the Dodgers in Game 7 in 2017 averaged 28.29 million.

The Dodgers tied Saturday’s game on a solo home run by Miguel Rojas and then took the lead in the 11th on Will Smith’s drive to left. Los Angeles overcame 3-0 and 4-2 deficits and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth to become baseball’s first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees won three titles in a row.

The audience peaked at 31.54 million from 11:30-11:45 p.m. EDT.