Clayton Kershaw threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings in what is expected to be his final regular-season start, and the Los Angeles Dodgers supported him with three home runs in a 6-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday at T-Mobile Park.
The Dodgers entered the game as slight -120 favorites on the moneyline, with the Mariners listed at +100. The over/under was set at 8 runs, and the contest stayed under as Los Angeles controlled the game from start to finish.
Kershaw, who announced earlier this season that 2024 would be his last, added one more polished outing to a career that has spanned 18 years. The left-hander allowed just four hits, all but one singles, and struck out seven. His final strikeout came against Eugenio Suárez in the sixth inning, marking the 3,052nd of his career. Kershaw exited to a standing ovation from a sellout crowd, acknowledging both the Seattle fans and the traveling Dodgers supporters. He improved to 11-2 on the year, lowering his ERA to 2.39.
The Dodgers built an early lead against Mariners starter Bryce Miller, who struggled with command in his final appearance of the season. In the second inning, rookie Hyeseong Kim turned on a high fastball and sent it into the right-field seats for a two-run homer, the third of his career. One inning later, Freddie Freeman launched a two-run shot to extend the advantage to 4-0. Miller fell to 4-6 after allowing four runs across three innings.
Los Angeles added to its lead after Miller’s departure. Shohei Ohtani homered in the fifth inning, belting his 55th of the season to set a new Dodgers single-season record. The two-way star had already surpassed the franchise mark he set in 2024, his first season in Los Angeles. Ohtani also reached 100 runs batted in for the third time in his career, continuing his pursuit of another Most Valuable Player award. Andy Pages later drove in a run with a single in the eighth inning to make it 6-0.
Seattle avoided a shutout at the bottom of the eighth when Cal Raleigh singled to drive in his 125th run of the year. Raleigh’s season concluded with 60 home runs, the highest total in Major League Baseball in 2025. His production helped carry Seattle to its first division title since 2001.
The Dodgers finished the regular season at 93-69, five wins fewer than a year ago, but secured their 12th National League West crown in 13 years. Beginning Tuesday at Dodger Stadium, they will face the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card series.
The Mariners closed at 90-72, winning five more games than last season and claiming the American League West. They will open their Division Series on Saturday against the winner of the best-of-three matchup between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians. The club announced that it drew 2,537,817 fans this season, slightly below its 2024 total of 2,555,813.