Yesterday was truly a wonderful day to be a Los Angeles Dodgers fan. In what will be Dodger legend Clayton Kershaw’s final regular-season start of his iconic career, Kershaw was magnificent, striking out 7 in 5.1 innings pitched.
For his final out, Kershaw struck out Mariners’ infielder Eugenio Suarez with a slider below the knees.
Fellow Dodger Freddie Freeman ran to the mound and greeted Kershaw with a big hug as he exited the mound for the final time in the regular season.
How fitting it is that one of the greatest strikeout pitchers of all-time ends his storied regular season career with a strikeout?
The Dodgers were able to send one of the best pitchers ever off on the proper note, dominating the Mariners 6-1 on the final day of the regular season. The game may not have meant much to the Seattle Mariners, who have already clinched the AL West, but to the Dodgers, this was more than just a game; it was a chance to give Kershaw the proper goodbye he deserves.
Grab This Iconic Shohei Ohtani Tee Shirt!
The Dodgers honored Kershaw the right way yesterday and gave the fans one last incredible memory of Kershaw’s unbelievable career.
Los Angeles Dodgers Clinch In Epic Fashion
Yesterday was not just about giving Clayton Kershaw the proper send-off, but Dodgers fans also saw superstar Shohei Ohtani make history once again. The reigning MVP put a stamp on what will undoubtedly be his 4th MVP of his already historic career.
Ohtani stepped up to the plate at the top of the 7th inning, already with 2 hits in the game, looking to add a 3rd. Not only would he add another hit, but it would be a towering home run, his 55th of the season, breaking the all-time single-season Dodger home run record Ohtani set just last year.
Ohtani and the Dodgers are gaining steam at just the right time and need to ride this momentum into October.
This regular season came with its fair share of ups and downs, but all that matters is that the Dodgers play their best baseball in October. Maybe this perfect day will put the Dodgers in the right state of mind heading into the playoffs and will refocus the team as they look to repeat as World Series champions.
The New York Mets’ Epic Collapse
Even though yesterday was pure bliss for Dodgers fans, it was complete despair for New York Mets fans.
For much of the season, the New York Mets appeared to have a playoff spot locked in. After signing slugger Juan Soto to a record 15-year $765 million contract, the Mets got off to an incredible start, leading the majors with a 45-24 record on June 12th. However, the Mets would go just 38-55 for the remainder of the season and would ultimately miss the postseason entirely.
Even after the Phillies surpassed the Mets to take a strong hold of the NL East, it seemed destined that the Mets would still make the playoffs and face the Dodgers in the Wild Card round. However, the Mets’ starting rotation was decimated by injuries for much of the season, and it proved too much to overcome.
To make matters worse, this could be the last time we see home run hitter Pete Alonso in a Mets uniform as he reportedly will opt out of the final year of his contract and test the free agent market.
The Mets are left searching for answers as one of the most expensive teams in MLB history will not be attending the playoffs this October.
The Hungry Cincinnati Reds
Instead, the Los Angeles Dodgers will be squaring off against one of the youngest teams in baseball, the Cincinnati Reds.
Led by switch-hitting superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz, the Reds are back in the playoffs for the first time in five years. De La Cruz is one of the game’s brightest young stars and is a shining example of a modern five-tool player as he can hit for average, power, steal bases, and play elite defense.
On September 5th, the Reds trailed the Mets by 6 games for the final NL Wild Card spot, and their season appeared to be all but over. However, the Reds have been red hot since then, winning an impressive 13 of their last 20 games to finish the season.
With just two games left, the Reds still needed to beat the NL-best Milwaukee Brewers to punch their ticket to the playoffs. Not only did the Reds win, but the Mets lost to the hapless Marlins, allowing the Reds to clinch their spot in the MLB playoffs.
Shouting the mantra they can’t kill us as they victoriously sprayed champagne in the locker room, the young and hungry Reds are going to give the Dodgers all they can handle as the NL Wild Card series kicks off Tuesday.