It only took nine games for someone to pull off the unthinkable. Beating the Dodgers in 2025? Yeah, that’s practically a miracle. Riding high at 8-0, L.A. looked invincible until the Phillies stepped up and said, Not so fast. Philly stunned the $321 million juggernaut with a gritty 3-2 win, handing the reigning World Series champs their first loss and dropping them to 8-1. Dodgers fans were rattled, and somehow, LeBron James caught some stray blame for it. Classic internet.

James has a big game coming up against the Pelicans and wants to finish Friday night on a high note. However, with the Lakers’ position in the Western Conference getting precarious, they can’t afford to take any opponent lightly. More than the game itself, it was how James entered the arena that caught everyone’s attention. Through Dodgers Nation, James was seen honoring another international star who calls Los Angeles home, yes, Shohei Ohtani only, by wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey. Well, no one would have expected it to take a wrong turn!

What’s the relation between the Dodgers losing to the Phillies and LeBron James? Well, the picture of James donning the Dodgers jersey surfaced just before the Dodgers went down to the Phillies, ending their record-breaking winning streak. Frustrated and shocked fans hilariously blamed James for bringing bad luck to the team. Of course, not seriously — but the timing of the photo and the Dodgers’ poor showing made fans connect the dots.

The fans got LeBron James to blame

The reason behind the Dodgers’ loss to the Phillies is LeBron James! A fan quipped hilariously. James and Ohtani can be termed the biggest brands in Los Angeles currently, with the Dodgers and Lakers both performing well. While Ohtani is on the way to achieving another 50-50 season this year and getting the team a second consecutive ring, the 40-year-old power forward is going for one last push for a ring this year. The 3-time Olympic gold medalist is too good to be blamed for an MLB regular-season game.

As ridiculous as it sounds, James is getting blamed for jinxing the Dodgers! Yes, the brilliant performances by Jesús Luzardo and J.T. Realmuto for the Phillies somehow took a backseat. Instead of giving credit where it’s due, for their fastballs and cannon throws, fans hilariously gave James the undue credit for the Dodgers’ downfall. Plus, based on James’ recent form, he should only be bringing good luck. For the uninitiated, he nailed a game-winning buzzer-beater against the Pacers just last month, his first as a Laker.

Imagine thanking an engineer for your good health instead of your doctor. Hilarious, right?
Something similar played out in the comment threads, where a fan thanked James for the Dodgers’ loss to the Phillies. It was Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s misfired pickoff throw to third that allowed the Phillies to score. But once that photo of James in the Dodgers jersey surfaced, fans put the blame squarely on him.

The history between Philadelphia and Los Angeles is intensely competitive. The last NBA game between the 76ers and Lakers in January went the Sixers’ way, 118–104. Now, in the MLB, history repeated itself as the Phillies halted the Dodgers. In 2025, Philly is officially 2–0 against L.A. this year! One fan even joked that LeBron’s presence means the Phillies will sweep again.

But let’s be honest: James not donning the Dodgers jersey wouldn’t have turned the tables for the team. For those unaware, James wore Dodgers-themed shoes during the 2020 Western Conference Finals, which the Lakers won, where he was named MVP. He also donned the Dodgers jersey and attended Game 5 of the 2024 NLDS against the Padres, and guess what? The Dodgers went 2–0 against the Padres then. So no, James wearing Dodgers gear isn’t some bad omen.

LeBron James probably didn’t see this coming, getting blamed for the Dodgers’ loss to the Phillies. Anyhow, the Dodgers have bigger issues to worry about. It’s time for them to hit the reset button and figure out what actually went wrong with their star-studded lineup.

Do you consider the Phillies’ win today an upset? Share your thoughts with us below.