The 2025 MLB regular season is now over for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners. Of course, their seasons are not quite over yet as the Dodgers will start playing in the National League Wild Card Series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.
That's right, Dodgers fans. The New York Mets, with their huge payroll and stars like Juan Soto and Pete Alonso (who won't be a Met next season as he's opting out of his contract), choked away a postseason chance.
So, the Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts get ready to face off against the Reds and manager Terry Francona. Roberts and Francona both have postseason experience under their belts, so the strategizing of the WC series should be something to see.
As for Sunday, Clayton Kershaw was the man in the spotlight as the Dodgers beat the Mariners 6-1. Kershaw, who already made his final regular season start at Dodger Stadium, now made the final regular season start in his career. It's a wrap for Kershaw who, because of Sunday's start, will not even be on these Wild Card Series roster.
Kershaw went 5 1/3 innings while striking out seven Seattle batters, giving up four hits, and walking one. Kershaw's teammate Freddie Freeman came out of the Dodgers dugout to give Kershaw the hook in a friendly sense. There's a ton of respect between both players and it showed when Kershaw and Freeman embraced on the T-Mobile Park mound in Seattle.
For the record books, Seattle's Eugenio Suárez was the final strikeout victim of Kershaw's regular season career. The only way Kershaw will get back on the mound in a Dodgers uniform, though, is if LA gets past the Reds.
Freeman was quite reflective about going out and getting Kershaw out of the game.
"For Doc to let me be a part of it in that moment, those are the ones that will choke you up as you think about things you were able to do in your baseball career," Freeman told Dodgers reporter Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
"And to be able to take, in my opinion, the greatest pitcher of our generation out of his last regular-season start, I think that might be up there as one of my favorite baseball moments that I’ve had."
In her story, Chen pointed out that Kershaw had some family members and friends present in Seattle. Ellen, Kershaw's wife, and two of their children were in the stands. Other friends who showed up included former MLB player Rick Honeycutt, Kershaw's first MLB pitching coach, and Kershaw's longtime catcher, A.J. Ellis.
"It was hard to see them, and hard in a good way. Just emotional," Kershaw said. "But after that, you don't want to embarrass yourself. You want to get people out, so try to compete as best you can."
Kershaw was quite happy with all of the happenings over the past couple of weeks. Yet even the old veteran pitcher knows that there is still work to do.
"I couldn't ask for anything more. It's been an amazing 10 days, two weeks," Kershaw said. "Now we can all turn our focus to beating the Reds."
It's time for the postseason, Dodgers fans.