It will likely be a battle of West Division champions when the Seattle Mariners shut the common season with a three-game collection at dwelling in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers starting Friday night time.
Whether or not it finally ends up being greater than that — a World Collection preview, maybe? — stays to be seen.
The Dodgers (90-69) popped the champagne Thursday after clinching their fourth straight Nationwide League West title and twelfth up to now 13 years with an 8-0 victory at Arizona.
“There was little question in my thoughts that this staff wasn’t going to get it performed,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned.
Freddie Freeman homered twice and Shohei Ohtani and Andy Pages additionally went deep for the Dodgers, who scored all eight of their runs within the opening 4 innings. Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched six scoreless frames.
“That is what I will miss,” mentioned Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who has introduced he’ll retire after this season. “Pitching, all that stuff is nice. I really like that, too. However getting to do that with a gaggle of men that each one are working in the direction of a collective aim for so long as we’re, that is what you miss. The camaraderie, the bonding, everyone going by one thing exhausting and popping out on the opposite aspect. That is actually particular. You aren’t getting that anyplace else.”
Whereas the defending World Collection champion Dodgers are locked in because the NL’s No. 3 seed and can face the third wild-card staff in a best-of-three first-round collection, the Mariners (90-69) clinched the AL’s No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. They nonetheless have an out of doors shot on the league’s high playoff berth, as they are a sport behind Toronto and the New York Yankees — though they do not have the tiebreaker with both of these golf equipment after shedding the season collection in opposition to each.
“It does really feel good. We have been hoping to get that,” Mariners supervisor Dan Wilson mentioned of the bye. “Now we’re ready to get some guys some relaxation that we predict want some relaxation. We are able to sort of get again bodily to the place we must be, after which prepare as that week goes on in order that we’re able to go.”
Eugenio Suarez had three hits, together with his forty ninth homer of the season, because the Mariners defeated Colorado 6-2 Thursday for his or her seventh consecutive victory and seventeenth up to now 18 video games. They’ve additionally tied a franchise file, set in 2001, with 11 straight wins at dwelling.
The Dodgers will name upon right-hander Emmet Sheehan (6-3, 2.86 ERA). The Mariners haven’t named a starter as of Friday morning.
Sheehan pitched seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball Sunday however did not get a call in a 3-1 loss to visiting San Francisco. He did not stroll a batter and matched his career-high with 10 strikeouts. Sheehan has made one earlier look in opposition to the Mariners, pitching three scoreless innings of reduction in 2023.
–Area Stage Media
