The Dodgers just wrapped up their regular season with a seriously strong September, snagging 18 wins out of 25 games after a couple of pretty “meh” months. It was a huge turnaround, especially considering July was “ho-hum” and August was “underwhelming.” They did exactly what they needed to do, even if the schedule was “soft as butter.”
Mookie Betts Goes Absolutely Ballistic
Talk about a guy finding his groove! Mookie Betts was apparently in the middle of a “second straight down year offensively” compared to his career, but he started finding his swing in mid-August and then went full supernova in September. His bat was straight up “one of the best in baseball,” hitting a ridiculous .337/.438/.674 with seven home runs and nine doubles. He scored 20 runs and drove in 22, with his 16 extra-base hits being his most since a “sublime August 2023.” For the month, Betts was second in FanGraphs WAR (1.9) and ranked fourth in the majors for both OPS (1.112) and wRC+ (202). That’s the Mookie everyone knows and loves.
Offense Explodes and Blowouts Return
It wasn’t just Mookie carrying the load, though. A bunch of guys stepped up big-time. Teoscar Hernández (166 wRC+, 18 RBI) and Kyle Tucker (140 wRC+, six homers) were among the Dodgers’ best hitters in September, which is huge because they were getting “near-replacement-level production” from their corner outfielders for almost five months. Will Smith also returned after nearly three months on the injured list, looking like his “All-Star self” with a .290/.400/.548 line and a 160 wRC+. Even Alex Freeland contributed in limited duty with a 133 wRC+. Plus, we got an “exciting debut” from Josue De Paula! Their overall September numbers were wild: 131 runs scored (5.24 per game, 5th in MLB) and only 83 runs allowed (3.32 per game, 2nd in MLB).
After a stretch in July and August where they only had four blowout wins (by five or more runs) in 51 games, the Dodgers found that power again in September with five blowout victories. That’s way more like their first half, where they had 25 blowout wins through June, best in baseball. They finished the season tied for second-most blowout wins (34) with the Yankees, just one shy of the Cubs. On the flip side, Freddie Freeman had a three-run homer and reached base five times on September 2, but the info on his rest of the month cuts off there. One minor concern: Kyle Tucker only managed five singles in 21 at-bats after fouling a ball off his right knee on September 19.
What a way to close out the regular season! That 18-7 September record, with guys like Mookie absolutely exploding, has to leave fans feeling good about how this team found its stride when it mattered, ending the season on a high note.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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