Dodgers Week 26: Closing out at home

The Dodgers followed up clinching the division last weekend with a trip home for the final time of the regular season, playing seven games against Detroit and San Francisco. They took two of three from the Tigers before taking three of four from the Giants.

Batter of the week

J.D. Martinez led the team in hits (11), doubles (three), and extra-base hits (eight) for a 1.708 OPS. His five home runs this week brought his season total to 31, nearly doubling his total from 2022 with the Red Sox.

Pitcher of the week

Ryan Pepiot tossed six innings of one-run ball after Caleb Ferguson pitched the first as the opener, striking out four and walking one with five hits. The right-hander pitched out of a late jam in the seventh to keep the game close, with the Tigers up 2-1. The Dodgers would eventually find their way into the win column by scoring one in the eighth and one in the ninth.

Honorable mention to a lot of solid relievers for the week, including Ferguson, Joe Kelly and Shelby Miller among others. Ferguson opened twice and gave up just a solo homer in four innings of work, striking out four in the process. Kelly pitched three perfect innings, facing the minimum in each and struck out five of the nine batters he faced. Miller got the win twice during the week, not allowing a run in three different appearances,

Week 26 results

5-2 record
31 runs scored (4.43 per game)
18 runs allowed (2.57 per game)
.748 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

96-59 record
869 runs scored (5.61 per game)
671 runs allowed (4.33 per game)
.626 pythagorean win percentage (91-57)

Miscellany

Walk-offs are fun: Max Muncy singled home Mookie Betts in the ninth inning Tuesday night to send the Dodgers to a 3-2 win over the Tigers. The week ended with an extra-inning single off the bat of Chris Taylor to bring home the winning run Sunday night and seal the third win in four games against the Giants, who really needed more than one win in the series.

So you’re saying there’s a chance: The Dodgers need just four wins in the final seven games to secure their fifth 100-win season in the past six full seasons.

Burying the Giants: What little hope of making the playoffs the Giants had when they arrived at Dodger Stadium Thursday was dashed when the Dodgers took two of three. San Francisco was three games back of the Cubs for the final Wild Card spot in the playoffs and left town in a tie with the Padres, five games out with two other teams in between. The Padres and Giants will now battle for third and fourth in the division over the final six games.

Hi Mom: Brusdar Graterol had us all in tears as he got to play in front of his mother for the first time at Dodger Stadium this week.

Following Freddie: There is still time for Freddie Freeman to make more history with extra bases. Be sure to follow along as we track the final week of Freddie’s quest right here.

Transactions

Tuesday: Wander Suero was sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City on a rehab assignment.

Saturday: Michael Grove was activated from the 15-day injured list, Gavin Stone was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Game results

• Monday: Dodgers 8, Tigers 3
• Tuesday: Dodgers 3, Tigers 2
• Wednesday: Tigers 4, Dodgers 2
• Thursday: Dodgers 7, Giants 2
• Friday: Giants 5, Dodgers 1
• Saturday: Dodgers 7, Giants 0
• Sunday: Dodgers 3, Giants 2

Previous reviews: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18 | Week 19 | Week 20 | Week 21 | Week 22 | Week 23 | Week 24 | Week 25

The week ahead

The Dodgers head out for the last road trip of the regular season, running the Ellis Burks gauntlet. They’ll play a doubleheader Tuesday to start a four-game set at Coors Field against the Rockies, followed by the last three games of the Giants season.

Friday will be on MLB Network for those out-of-market. Every one of the final seven are on SportsNet LA. I could guess at the pitching matchups, but I won’t.