Dodgers at Giants, 1:05 p.m.
Kershaw CCLXIII: Kershawcadia
Howie Kendrick, LF
Justin Turner, 3B
Corey Seager, SS
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrián González, 1B
Yasmani Grandal, C
Joc Pederson, CF
Chase Utley, 2B
Clayton Kershaw, P

By Jon Weisman

Though the 2016 regular season isn’t officially over, the month of September is, a month in which several Dodger bats delivered.

Joc Pederson led the National League in slugging percentage (.702) last month and finished second in OPS (1.154) and fourth in on-base percentage (.452). Pederson led the Dodgers with seven homers and 15 walks.

Over to Pederson’s left — in right field — were two strong hitters. Josh Reddick rallied from a dismal August to tie for the NL lead in batting average (.400), alongside a .435 OBP and .569 slugging percentage. Reddick was due, to say the least — his batting average on balls in play went from .194 in August to .429 in September.

Yasiel Puig had a .362 OBP while slugging .620 for a .982 OPS, hitting four homers in only 50 at-bats.

Yasmani Grandal’s pattern of high production despite a low batting average continued. Grandal’s .229 batting average in the month almost exactly matched his .228 for the year, but Grandal added six homers to give him an .804 OPS in September, along with a team-high 16 RBI.

In the sixth month of a season in which he has surpassed his career high in plate appearances by more than 100, Justin Turner remained solid: .375 OBP, .495 slugging. Turner had a team-high six doubles and trailed only one player in total bases — Corey Seager (.339 OBP, .448 slugging, .787 OPS).

Seager probably didn’t do enough in September to advance his candidacy for National League Most Valuable Player, but he did have a game worthy of such a player in the home finale September 25 with the NL West title in reach, tying the game with a triple in the seventh and again with a two-out homer in the ninth.

Not to be ignored among September’s heroes, of course, is Charlie Culberson. His division-clinching hit September 25 was unique only in being a home run. Culberson went 9 for 23 for a .391 batting average.

Those who struggled relatively in September include Adrián González (.636 OPS, 15 RBI), Howie Kendrick (.518 OPS) and, believe it or not, Andrew Toles (.506 OPS).