Let's Road Trip Brewers 2025: Trip #9 - West Coast and Up?

Los Angeles Dodgers – July 18-20
Dodger Stadium: Capacity 56,000
2024 Attendance: 3,941,251 (Averaged 48,657, ranked 1st in NL and 1st overall MLB)

The Brewers marched into Dodger Stadium in July of 2024 and marched out one game less victorious than when they started. While the Brewers outscored the eventual World Series champions 15-12 overall, most of their offense was saved for the 9-2 finale. The Dodgers outperformed the Brewers in every facet of the game in the first two outings, taking the series on their way to taking it all.  Overall, the West Coast trip to Dodgers Stadium has been a taxing one. Not just because of the state income tax but also because the Brewers have gone 34-50 in their games there. This decade has been particularly rough on the Brew Crew, having gone 2-11 on this road trip since 2020.

The Dodgers got their start in the Northeast and moved westward. After the move from Brooklyn, they settled first in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but the Dodgers found their forever home in 1962 at Chavez Ravine. Beautiful, breathtaking, “an aesthetic ideal” mirroring Hollywood itself, Dodgers Stadium tops many ballpark bucket lists. The construction crew moved 8,000,000 cubic yards of rock and material amidst the natural landscape, slicing a piece of baseball heaven into place.  Jackie Robinson’s presence exists inside and outside the ballpark, with statues and stories in full display.

Finding affordable "good" seats can prove equally daunting, with the Dodgers being a juggernaut on the field.  The Kirk Gibson Home Run Seat (section 302, right field pavilion, Row D, seat 88) stands (sits?) immortal.  If you haven’t re-enacted that iconic scene from the 1988 World Series while playing baseball, softball, or whiffle ball/ping pong/ice fishing, for that matter…then you need to turn in your baseball fan card.  Just turn it in.

There is also the infamous Dodger Dog. Which, unsurprisingly, isn't worth the price tag. Specialty Dodger-ritas and loaded nachos, however, are worth it! Wildfires have ravaged Los Angeles this winter, but they don't directly impact the Dodger Stadium area. The scenic Malibu coastal drive will never look the same. However, travelers to LA will still have the iconic Hollywood sign, Disneyland, Rodeo Drive, the Walk of Fame, Universal Studios, and the ocean…all worth the trip in and of themselves.  Some of them are free. Some of them are the opposite of free.

After hopefully surviving this Dodgers series, it's time to head north up the coast to beautiful Seattle to face the Mariners.

Seattle Mariners - July 21-23
T-Mobile Park: Capacity 47,929
2024 Attendance: 2,555,813 (Averaged 31,553, 7th out of 15 AL parks and 14th overall)

Milwaukee last journeyed to Safeco Field in Seattle in April of 2023, and they wished they could have spent the whole year there. The three-game sweep saw the Brewers deliver with pitching, the long ball, and the small ball in an all-around effort.  The Brewers have only made three road trips to Seattle post-Kingdome era, and they've won two series and lost one, to the tune of a 6-3 record overall. Milwaukee has scored five or more runs in seven of those contests, so expect to see some good offense if you go.

T-Mobile Park dials up the fan experience with a retractable roof, beautiful sight lines, and stellar food and beverage options. This isn’t your grandpa’s Kingdome, for sure. Success hasn’t been a part of the Mariners’ story, but their current squad is on the way up. Established in 1977, the Mariners endured losing seasons every year until 1991. They hold the less-than-awesome honor of having never been in a World Series. So the town is hungry for change, even if the ballpark is now entering its 24th season.

The park hosts the Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest and Mariners Hall of Fame, which pays homage to great moments in professional baseball throughout the region. The ‘Pen is a foody and pub crawler’s dream, and there is a Fan Walk with engraved bricks memorializing those who root for the squad.

If you can stomach heights, the Space Needle is calling your name. The Museum of Pop Culture does seem like a worthy stop, and a person can’t be in this part of America without the temptation of a Goonies filming site pilgrimage coming up in the conversation. The Seattle Japanese Garden also looks amazing and perfect for healing and restoration, especially amid such a grueling road trip.

After almost two weeks on the road, the Brewers finally return home on July 25th to face Miami and the rival Cubs. What kind of results will they bring home from this lengthy trip?