Aug 9, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers beat Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 as Clayton Kershaw fanned 8 in 7 IP and Mookie Betts drove in 3. Shohei Ohtani scored twice.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
On a star-studded Saturday at Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers reminded everyone why they sit atop the NL West. Clayton Kershaw outdueled longtime foil Max Scherzer with seven innings of one-run ball and eight strikeouts, Mookie Betts launched a two-run homer and finished with three RBI, and the offense strung together a decisive late push to beat the Blue Jays 5-1. Shohei Ohtani crossed the plate twice, Will Smith coaxed a key bases-loaded walk, and the win moved LA to 67-49, steadying a club that’s pairing October-worthy pitching with the league’s most productive lineup.
“The Dodgers lead MLB at 5.2 runs per game—and they played like it.”
You don’t get many head-to-heads like this anymore—and Kershaw owned it. He carved through Toronto’s order with seven authoritative frames, allowing just one run and punching out eight. The fastball command and the slider depth were there, but more than that, the tempo and conviction looked like, well, Kershaw. In a season where rotation health has been a subplot, nights like this aren’t just wins; they’re statements.
Scherzer was game, but the first crack belonged to Betts, and Kershaw never gave it back. The bullpen only had to record six outs, meaning Dave Roberts could keep his leverage pieces fresh as the series rolls on.
The Dodgers’ offense didn’t need a barrage—just timely thump and disciplined at-bats. Betts jump-started things with a two-run homer in the fifth and finished with three RBI, then added insurance late with a run-scoring groundout. Ohtani scored twice, the kind of baserunning impact that doesn’t show up in highlight reels but tilts innings. Will Smith, the heartbeat of this lineup, drew a bases-loaded walk to keep the big inning alive and continues to be an on-base engine.
This is the identity: star-level power up top, relentless pressure behind it. When LA pairs those traits, they don’t just beat teams—they suffocate them.
Home runs headline, but the Dodgers won the middle of the diamond late. In the seventh, LA stacked quality plate appearances and situational execution: Betts collected an RBI groundout, Smith forced in a run with that patient, bases-loaded walk, and Teoscar Hernández lifted a sacrifice fly. It was textbook late-game offense—pass the baton, take what the defense gives you, and cash in.
Ahead of Saturday’s win, the Dodgers added a new tool to the bench: Justin Dean’s speed and glove are now in the big-league toolbox after his contract was selected from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday. With Luken Baker designated for assignment and Esteury Ruiz optioned, the front office is clearly prioritizing run prevention and late-inning versatility for the stretch run.
Dean profiles as the kind of September-leaning weapon Roberts loves—pinch-run in a one-run game, take away a gap in the ninth, force an extra throw. On a club already oozing power, that different look can swing tight contests without needing a three-run blast.
The long-term ledger hasn’t changed—and it still matters. RHP River Ryan (Tommy John surgery) remains on a late-2025-at-best timeline. RHP Gavin Stone and RHP Michael Grove are both out for 2025 after shoulder surgeries, with Spring Training 2026 circled for returns. That reality puts extra value on nights like this from Kershaw and underscores the need for efficiency from the rest of the staff.
Translation: the fewer bullpen games LA plays in August and September, the fresher the high-leverage core will be when it counts.
The Dodgers entered August 9 leading MLB at 5.2 runs per game, ranking second in homers (171), and sitting top-five in average (.254) and slugging (.441). Ohtani is tracking another MVP-level season with 39 homers and 75 RBI, while Smith continues to post elite on-base chops. Layer that atop Betts’ power and defensive versatility, and you get an offense that can both bludgeon and manufacture.
Saturday’s script was the 2025 formula in miniature: star power early, depth and discipline late.
This is how you build a division cushion: win the ace matchups, stack quality at-bats, and squeeze extra value from the margins. Keep an eye on how Roberts deploys Justin Dean in late-game spots, Ohtani’s march to 40 homers, and Smith’s relentless on-base tear. If Kershaw keeps holding serve while the offense leads the league in production, the Dodgers won’t just be holding the NL West—they’ll be shaping the postseason bracket.
On a night framed by two future Hall of Famers, the Dodgers looked like the more complete club—again. Kershaw set the tone, Betts brought the thunder, and the lineup’s patience paid off late. With roster moves aimed at tightening the late innings and an offense pacing MLB, LA’s formula for the stretch run is coming into focus: star power up front, pressure everywhere else.
