Winning has been synonymous with the Clayton Kershaw in Los Angeles, with the Dodgers making the postseason in 15 of 18 seasons*, including the last 13 years in row. With a magic number of three, the Dodgers are closing in on what would be a 14th division title during Kershaw’s illustrious career.

*In the 19 seasons between the 1988 World Series and Kershaw’s first year, the Dodgers made the playoffs four times, including two division titles, and won one playoff game.

So it was fitting that on the night of Kershaw’s final regular season start at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers clinched their 2025 ticket to the postseason.

Kershaw was here before the current regime came to Los Angeles, and his performance set the standard the team has since been built around. Now, in his final season, Kershaw has been effective — 3.55 ERA in 21 starts — and most importantly has been healthy. But the rotation built around him is strong enough that Kershaw is more of an extra piece these days.

“I’m kind of mentally exhausted today. It’s the best feeling in the world now, we got a win, we clinched a playoff berth, and I got to stand on that mound one last time,” Kershaw said Friday night. “I just can’t be more grateful.”

Shohei Ohtani was an extra-base-hit machine last week with four home runs and three doubles, the former putting Ohtani at 53 home runs on the season, one shy of his own team record. He enters the final week of the season with 141 runs scored, just the 14th MLB season since integration with 140 or more runs. Ohtani is seven runs shy of Hub Collins’ Dodgers record, set in 1890 for Brooklyn.

Honorable mention goes to Andy Pages, who had four doubles and a home run among his team-leading 10 hits.

In almost any other week, Blake Snell would have won this easily after his 12 strikeouts on Wednesday against the Phillies, in seven scoreless innings that included him successfully convincing Dave Roberts to remain in the game for the final out.

But Emmet Sheehan takes it this week on volume, with two high-quality starts, totaling 17 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings with only two hits and one run allowed. Put another way, Sheehan had Snell’s start, plus another 5 2/3 innings, one run, one walk, two hit batters, and five more strikeouts. Those two fueled a 1.60 rotation ERA during the week, with honorable mention to Ohtani for his five scoreless, hitless innings on Tuesday.

4-3 record
32 runs scored (4.57 per game)
27 runs allowed (3.86 per game)
.577 pythagorean win percentage

88-68 record
794 runs scored (5.09 per game)
668 runs allowed (4.28 per game)
.578 pythagorean win percentage (90-66)

Standing: 1st place in NL West, three games up on San Diego

Tuesday: Catcher Dalton Rushing was activated off the IL, and Chuckie Robinson was optioned.

Friday: Michael Kopech’s regular season ended with another trip to the IL, and Will Klein was recalled from Triple-A.

Sunday: Robinson was claimed off waivers by the Braves.

Week 27 battingPlayerABRH2BHRRBISBBBSOPABA/OBP/SLGOhtani2769346141131.333/.419/.889Pages2451041211225.417/.440/.708Call91311201211.333/.364/.778K. Hernández7220140129.286/.333/.714Rojas173511101319.294/.333/.529Conforto131401200513.308/.308/.538Muncy163302301518.188/.278/.563Betts253412403530.160/.233/.440Freeman272601302730.222/.300/.333Edman162301200017.188/.176/.375T. Hernández202210103424.100/.250/.150Rortvedt121200100213.167/.167/.167Rushing7010000037.143/.143/.143Robinson1100000002.000/.000/.000Offense221325411153121751249.244/.301/.498Week 27 pitchingPitcherGRecordIPHRERBBSOERAWHIPSnell11-07.02002120.000.571Yamamoto10-05.3100670.001.313Ohtani10-05.0000150.000.200Sheehan20-012.72113170.710.395Kershaw10-04.3422464.151.846Glasnow11-05.0644477.202.000Starters72-039.3157720541.600.890Scott30-0, Sv3.0200240.001.333Klein20-02.0100030.000.500Vesia40-0, Sv3.3111132.700.600Banda40-03.3211232.701.200Henriquez21-02.0211134.501.500Dreyer41-0, Sv3.7222044.910.545Yates20-01.3111206.752.250Treinen40-33.35766216.203.300Wrobleski30-02.37660323.143.000Kopech10-00.30112127.006.000Bullpen292-3, 3 Sv24.723201916266.931.581Totals364-364.038272636803.661.156

The Dodgers run the Tuffy Gosewisch gauntlet in the final week of the regular season, hitting the road to battle the Diamondbacks in Phoenix and the Mariners in Seattle. It’s not a stretch to see the Dodgers’ three starters in Arizona assuming that same order one week later at Dodger Stadium, and I guess the coming days will tell us where Tyler Glasnow slots in.

Week 28 scheduleMon, 9/22Tue, 9/23Wed, 9/24Thu, 9/25Fri, 9/26Sat, 9/27Sun, 9/28at D-backsat D-backsat D-backsat Marinersat Marinersat Mariners6:406:4012:406:406:4012:10OhtaniYamamotoSnellSheehanTBATBAPfaadtNelsonGallenTBATBATBASNLASNLASNLA/MLBNSNLASNLASNLA0 Comments