National Audience Gets Front-Row Seat To Dodgers’ Routine Dominance

In front of a national TV audience, the Los Angeles Dodgers did what they tend to do when given a stage: remind everyone, without much fuss, that they’re still the standard. The two-time defending champs handled the New York Mets with the kind of efficiency that doesn’t inspire much love east of Pasadena—but does tend to earn reluctant respect.

And then there was Shohei Ohtani, who decided that on this particular night, hitting baseballs very far could wait. No DH duties, no lineup card cameo—just six innings on the mound, where he struck out 10, walked two, and allowed a single earned run. The result: his ERA climbed to 0.50, a development statisticians are still classifying as ‘technically worse.

This wasn’t just another start—it was a throwback. The last time Ohtani pitched without also penciling himself into the lineup was 2021, back when he was merely redefining baseball instead of casually dominating it. The focus showed. Ten strikeouts, 22 whiffs, and a Mets lineup that often looked like it had RSVP’d to the wrong event.

Of course, Ohtani’s résumé no longer needs much polishing, but here we are anyway. Year one in L.A.: chase 50/50 successfully. Year two: return to two-way play, collect an MVP, and casually take over the NLCS—including that small matter of three home runs and double-digit strikeouts in a single game. Normal stuff.

This year? The mission statement is clear—pitching first, and a Cy Young Award very much in his sights. Performances like this tend to strengthen that argument.

With Ohtani temporarily giving his bat the night off, Dalton Rushing stepped into the DH role and handled it like someone who understood the assignment—and then added extra credit. Two hits, including a grand slam in the eighth that effectively told the Mets bullpen, “you can go ahead and sit back down.”

There was a moment where it looked like Edwin Díaz might make his usual dramatic entrance—trumpets, closer role, the whole production. Instead, Rushing’s blast rendered the ninth inning unnecessary. Until those trumpets actually play, speculation will linger, because baseball fans are nothing if not creatively suspicious.

Elsewhere, there are quieter developments that matter just as much in October. Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott are starting to look like high-leverage weapons again, not haunted relics of last season. For Dodgers fans, that’s less a subplot and more a very welcome correction.

Add it all up, and the Dodgers didn’t just win—they swept, dominated, and improved to a perfect 9-0 against National League opponents. The Mets, meanwhile, left town with a seventh straight loss and a better understanding of why the rest of the league might be quietly concerned.

The Dodgers don’t need everyone to love them. Nights like this make it pretty clear they’ll settle for everyone else just dealing with it.