September Offensive Surge Against Weak Opposition
The Los Angeles Dodgers finished September with a potent offense, ranking fourth in Major League Baseball with 131 runs scored. The team posted an on-base percentage of .355, which led MLB, and a slugging percentage of .438, ranking third. Their overall on-base plus slugging (OPS) of .793 placed them second in the league.
However, that statistical success requires context regarding the quality of competition. The Dodgers’ September schedule was the easiest in MLB, playing only three of their final 28 games against a team with a winning record. Much of that production came against weak opposition including the Giants, Nationals, and Reds.
The surge also followed a period of struggle. According to the Redlands Daily Facts, the Dodgers’ offense struggled in July and August before improving in September. First baseman Freddie Freeman stated the offense has subsided from its struggles because it has been "much better" recently.
Despite the team-wide improvements, individual performances varied significantly. Shohei Ohtani was sidelined for most of September and hit .157 in his last 18 games. Freeman himself hit .184 in September with one extra-base hit in 85 plate appearances.
Player Observations and Team Dynamics
Freeman noted that Andy Pages looks great, Shohei Ohtani took nice swings, Mookie Betts looks great, and Kyle Tucker has been swinging the bat better. These observations highlight the depth of the lineup even as key stars missed time or struggled.
Third baseman Max Muncy joked about wanting to "slug our way to a World Series" rather than relying on pitchers, noting he doesn't want pitchers to take all the credit. However, Muncy acknowledged that starting pitching is ultimately what carries teams in October, citing that teams scout opponents for a month and a half in advance.
The difficulty of facing elite pitching was evident even in September. The Dodgers scored just 10 runs while losing a series to the San Diego Padres during their final month, illustrating that the easy schedule did not guarantee dominance against all opponents.
Historical Context and Playoff Precedents
The question of whether the offense can sustain its production is informed by recent postseason history. In 2024, the Dodgers leaned heavily on their bullpen, including an eight-reliever shutout against the San Diego Padres in the NLDS.
In contrast, the 2025 championship team relied on starting pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow to win the title. This shift underscores the importance of the rotation that Muncy referenced.
Offensive metrics from past championships provide a baseline for comparison. During the 2020 championship run, the Dodgers lineup hit .254 as a group, averaging 5.6 runs per game with 30 home runs in 18 games. The 2024 championship team averaged 5.9 runs per game while slugging .409 with 27 home runs in 16 postseason games.
In the 2025 postseason, the Dodgers hit .233 as a team, averaging 4.0 runs per game with 24 home runs in 18 games. In the three rounds following the Wild Card Series in 2025 (against the Phillies, Brewers, and Blue Jays), the Dodgers hit .213 as a team and averaged 3.38 runs per game.
These historical data points suggest that while the September surge was impressive, the postseason environment typically suppresses offensive output, making the reliance on starting pitching and bullpen depth critical for future success.