Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) and center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) pour water on third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) after game five of the ALCS round against the Toronto Blue Jays for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

MLB playoff takeaways: Mariners one win away from first World Series; Ohtani leads Dodgers back to the Fall Classic

By Taylor Bretl | Last updated Oct 18, 2025 12:20 AM ET

Both Championship Series of the 2025 MLB playoffs unfolded on Friday. In the American League, the Seattle Mariners moved to a 3–2 series lead in the ALCS with a 6–2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, moving within one win of their first World Series appearance. The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a dominant sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, winning 5–1 to punch their ticket to a second consecutive World Series.

Eugenio Suarez lifts Mariners one game away from first World Series appearance

Suárez delivered a two-home run night in Game 5 of the ALCS, punctuating his night with an eighth-inning grand slam that lifted the Mariners to a 6–2 victory over the Blue Jays. The win gave Seattle a 3–2 series lead and moved the franchise within one win of its first-ever World Series appearance.

EUGENIO SUÁREZ CONNECTS AGAIN IN GRAND FASHION

WHAT A GAME IN SEATTLE pic.twitter.com/9BQVmonoum
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025

Shohei Ohtani’s three home runs and 10 strikeouts power Dodgers to NL Pennant

Ohtani put together a historic two-way performance in Game 4 of the NLCS, launching three home runs — averaging 447 feet — and striking out 10 batters in his start to lead the Dodgers to a 5–1 victory over the Brewers, clinching their second consecutive National League Pennant.

Ohtani set the tone early, striking out the side in the top of the first before crushing a leadoff homer in the bottom half of the inning. He added two more towering shots, as well as pitching six innings of shutout baseball to cap one of the best postseason performances in MLB history.

HE DOES IT AGAIN

SHOHEI OHTANI HAS A THREE-HOMER GAME! pic.twitter.com/EWGgYuuV6o
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025

Brewers offense finishes NLCS with historic lows

In their four-game sweep by the Dodgers, Milwaukee’s offense collapsed, scoring just one run in each game and finishing with a team batting average of .118 (14-for-119) and an on-base percentage of .191.

Across the series, the Brewers struck out 41 times and produced only six extra-base hits among their 14 total, culminating in a .193 OPS.

Taylor Bretl

Taylor Bretl writes about Major League Baseball with a focus on the Milwaukee Brewers. He is founder of Around the Globe Baseball.

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