Los Angeles Dodgers: September/October Review

The Los Angeles Dodgers set a torrid pace in the last month of the season to try and catch the division-rival San Francisco Giants in the NL West.

Despite a 22-7 record for September/October, the Dodgers fell one game short of extending their division title streak to nine. The Dodgers finished the regular season with 106 wins, tying the franchise record for wins and setting a new record for wins in a second-place finish.

The last month of Dodgers baseball offered not only the chase for the West but also some great milestones. LA clinched a postseason berth for a record-extending ninth straight season; pitcher Max Scherzer recorded his 3,000th career strikeout; and Julio Urias won his 20th game of 2021.

Let’s look back at the last month of Dodgers baseball before we enter the postseason.

Player of the Month: Trea Turner

Trea Turner proved just how great of an acquisition he was at the trade deadline and was the hottest Dodgers hitter over the last month. Turner hit .353 with eight home runs and 21 RBI while sporting a 178 OPS+. In the last series of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers, he hit .500 with two grand slams and nine RBI.

For his efforts Turner thrust himself into the NL MVP race and was named NL Player of the Week. He finished the regular season as the batting champion and led the NL in hits.

Pitcher of the Month: Julio Urias

Julio Urias helped the Dodgers stay in the NL West race, going 5-0 with a 2.06 ERA and 35 strikeouts in six starts (totaling 35 innings). He walked just six batters. Urias’ five wins made him the first 20-game winner in Major League Baseball since 2016. The left-hander will try to add more October memories a year after closing out the 2020 World Series.

Top Moment: Scherzer Gets 3,000 Strikeouts

The top moment of the month for the Dodgers came on Sept. 12 against the San Diego Padres. Going into the game, Max Scherzer needed six strikeouts to become the 19th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to reach 3,000 strikeouts for his career. Scherzer made quick work of the Padres, getting five punchouts through four perfect innings.

In the top of the fifth with one out, Scherzer got Eric Hosmer to whiff to become the first pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts wearing a Dodgers uniform. Scherzer would remain lights out, carrying a perfect game into the eighth inning before giving up a hit.

Since coming over from the Washington Nationals, Scherzer has saved the Dodgers’ starting rotation after it has lost Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May and Trevor Bauer at various points of the season. He’ll be the key to this team going on a deep playoff run.

Moving Forward

The Dodgers find themselves in unfamiliar territory playing in their first Wild Card game ever against the St. Louis Cardinals, arguably the hottest team in MLB. If they happen to win, they’ll get the Giants in the NLDS.

An absolutely unfair gauntlet for the second-best team in MLB, but if anybody can handle it, it’s the Dodgers.

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