Shohei Ohtani rested as the Dodgers rally in the ninth to beat the Mariners; J-Rod hits his 30th home run and steals 30 bases again

Although the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners today (28th) does not affect the playoff standings, both teams fought hard for the win. The Dodgers, trailing in the first half, tied the game in the seventh inning and then secured a 5-3 comeback victory in the ninth thanks to a clutch hit by Kiké Hernández.

As the regular season nears its end, the Dodgers rested their star Shohei Ohtani in this game. Ohtani has hit 54 home runs this season, trailing Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies who has 56, but he is not deliberately chasing the home run title—having already won it in both the American and National Leagues, Ohtani has maintained a career-best level with 54 homers for two consecutive seasons.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “We discussed it with him, and he agreed to rest today and will return to start tomorrow. He left the decision to the coaching staff, and it wasn’t an easy one. I believe he doesn’t care about the home run crown; what he really wants is the MVP.”

This marks Ohtani’s first rest day after playing 33 consecutive games, as he prepares ahead of the playoffs. Ohtani won MVP awards in 2021, 2023, and 2024; in 2022, he finished second due to Aaron Judge’s 62 home runs, otherwise he might have been on track for five straight MVP titles.

In the first inning, Julio Rodríguez, who had successfully stolen bases 28 times before the season, reached base on a fielder’s choice and then stole second and third bases consecutively, recording his 30th steal of the season and marking his second career “30-30” season. This season, seven players in the entire MLB have achieved “30-30,” setting a new record.

Game progress: In the fifth inning, Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing hit a two-run homer to break the deadlock; later in the bottom of the fifth, Jorge Polanco responded with a three-run homer to give the Mariners their first lead. In the seventh inning, the Dodgers tied the game with two hits and an opponent’s wild pitch.

In the ninth inning, the Dodgers’ first two batters were walked, and with runners on second and third and one out, Kiké Hernández hit his third hit of the game, driving in two runs to take the lead. In the bottom of the ninth, Dodgers rookie Edgardo Hernández closed out the game, earning his first save of the season and the second of his career.

The Dodgers’ top lineup showed limited performance, but six hitter Kiké Hernández’s three hits and two RBIs, along with Dalton Rushing’s extra-base hits and RBIs, were key to the victory. Tyler Glasnow pitched three scoreless innings as he tunes up for the playoffs, but was not credited with a win or loss.

For the Mariners, starter Logan Gilbert pitched five innings allowing two runs, using only 75 pitches efficiently before leaving the game; Jorge Polanco contributed his 26th home run of the season. Home run leader Cal Raleigh was hitless in this game but still has one last chance to break his personal single-season record.

The Dodgers have secured the National League’s third seed for the playoffs, with their first-round Wild Card opponent to be decided between the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds; the Mariners have locked in the American League’s second seed and will skip the first round. Notably, the Dodgers have won 11 straight games against the Mariners, with their last loss dating back to April 20, 2021. The two teams will face off again tomorrow.