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The Dodgers closed out their homestand series against the Seattle Mariners with a convincing win on Thursday night, taking two of three behind strong performances from Dalton Rushing and Roki Sasaki, per Dodger Blue. After dropping the opener — the one where Wrobleski got tagged for four homers — the club responded with back-to-back wins to secure another series victory. Thursday’s game was never really in doubt. The Dodgers scored early, kept adding on through the middle innings, and rode Sasaki’s arm the rest of the way.

Sasaki continues to look like exactly what the Dodgers envisioned when they signed him out of Japan prior to the 2025 season. The right-hander made international headlines with his 18-strikeout perfect game in NPB and arrived in Los Angeles with enormous expectations. After a somewhat careful integration into the rotation last year, Sasaki has settled in as a legitimate frontline starter in 2026. His fastball-splitter combination remains one of the most devastating pitch pairings in the sport, and on Thursday he showed the kind of command and composure that makes him a cornerstone piece for this rotation going forward — especially with Shohei Ohtani shut down from pitching and Tyler Glasnow still working his way back from injury.

Rushing, meanwhile, is making a real case for himself. The former first-round pick out of Louisville has been the Dodgers’ catcher of the present with Will Smith on the injured list, and he’s seized the opportunity. Rushing has always had the bat — his power and plate discipline were evident throughout his minor league climb — and he’s showing it now at the big league level. With Smith nearing a return from his rehab, the Dodgers could soon have a legitimate catching tandem, but Rushing’s performance lately makes it clear he belongs in this lineup regardless of how the roster shakes out.

This is a good way to finish a homestand. Losing that opener the way we did, with Wrobleski getting knocked around, could have set a bad tone. Instead, Eric Lauer threw a complete game shutout in game two and Sasaki delivered in the finale. That’s your pitching depth showing up when it matters. The rotation has had its questions this season — Ohtani’s biceps and knee issues, Glasnow’s rehab timeline, the Skubal pursuit — but nights like Thursday remind you that this staff has real arms capable of carrying the load.

Two of three against Seattle is the expectation, and the Dodgers met it. With the trade deadline right here, this series win keeps the momentum going while the front office works the phones. I like where this team’s head is at. Take care of business on the field, let Andrew Friedman handle the rest. The lineup is deep, the pitching is stabilizing, and guys like Rushing are making sure there’s no drop-off when starters go down. That’s what contenders do.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: July 31, 2026 5:24 AM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers