The Dodgers secure the top record in Major League Baseball while Shohei Ohtani persists in his pursuit of the triple crown.

The Dodgers have frequently expressed this season that, despite their injuries and periods of inconsistent performance, they have not felt like the team holding the best record in baseball. However, Saturday marked a departure from that sentiment. Prior to even stepping onto the field, the Dodgers secured the best record in the majors for the season, achieving this honor—and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs—for the fourth time since 2017, thanks to a loss by the Philadelphia Phillies.

In their penultimate regular-season game, the Dodgers demonstrated their status with a commanding 13-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies. “Tonight was a clinic,” remarked manager Dave Roberts. “They understand that this is the final rehearsal before it truly counts. They are focused, which is encouraging.” Notably, Saturday was the first occasion this year when the Dodgers had no stakes in the standings. Nevertheless, they maintained their intensity. Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered five strong innings, allowing only two runs in what Roberts characterized as a “great tune-up” for the playoffs. Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández each hit three-run home runs, contributing to an impressive 18-hit performance, with Kiké, Chris Taylor, and Gavin Lux each recording three hits. Shohei Ohtani also continued his pursuit of a potential, albeit unlikely, National League triple crown, going two for five and achieving his 58th stolen base of the season, leaving him just four batting average points behind Luis Arraez for the batting title. 

“It’s very gratifying,” Roberts stated regarding the clinching of MLB’s best record, with his team now at 97-64. “Now, once we conclude tomorrow’s game, we will regroup during the week. I expect our players to maintain that same focus, and even more so than we have exhibited in recent weeks.” The primary focus for Saturday was Yamamoto’s start, which was his longest since returning from a shoulder injury earlier this month. His initial three starts back had shown a trend of diminishing effectiveness, following two four-inning outings earlier this month.