The Dodgers are one win away from checking off the first postseason box.
After dropping a pair of games to the Miami Marlins, Los Angeles enters Monday at 90-59 and still owns a nine-game cushion over the San Diego Padres in the National League West. That puts the math in the Dodgers’ favor, and a win over the Cincinnati Reds would officially clinch a playoff spot.
First pitch is set for 3:40 p.m. PT.
There are other paths, too. According to Dodgers reporter Katie Woo of The Athletic, Los Angeles would also clinch if either the Padres lose at the Colorado Rockies or the Arizona Diamondbacks lose to the Marlins.
The matchup with Cincinnati looks like a strong opportunity for the Dodgers to get it done. They just swept the Reds last week, though that series came at Dodger Stadium and this one is on the road. Still, LA is sending out ace Tarik Skubal, and that gives them a real edge.
Since being dealt by the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline, Skubal has posted a 2.93 ERA with 48 strikeouts in seven starts. His record sits at 2-2, but those numbers have come during a rough stretch for the team around him, especially on offense, where run support has been hard to find.
If the Dodgers’ bats show up Monday - and the addition of top prospect Josue De Paula has helped fuel an offensive burst - the playoff spot should be theirs.
Of course, the bigger picture already looks secure. The Dodgers are not in any real danger of missing the postseason, and ESPN currently gives them 99.9% playoff odds. The focus now is on seeding, not survival.
Los Angeles is also chasing the No. 2 seed in the National League, which would come with a bye in the wild card round. Entering Monday, the Dodgers are 2.5 games ahead of the third-place Atlanta Braves. Hanging onto that spot would matter, especially for a banged-up club that could use a few extra days to get healthy before the playoffs begin.
In Other News...
Dodgers Just Made A Bullpen Move That Could Sting Fans Too
The Dodgers got another piece back in the bullpen mix by activating left-hander Kris Bubic off the 60-day injured list and adding him to both the 28- and 40-man rosters. Bubic, who came over from the Royals at the trade deadline, is expected to give Los Angeles a left-handed relief option as it continues sorting through the back end of its staff.
To clear space, right-hander Paul Gervase was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City and outfielder Ryan Ward was designated for assignment. The roster shuffle fits the kind of August management the Dodgers have leaned on all year, but the move also comes with the usual cost of squeezing out a depth piece to make room for a pitcher the club clearly wants available now. [Read more 🡒]
Shohei Ohtani Return Buzz Just Got Very Real For Dodgers Fans
The Dodgers kept rolling against the Reds by winning the first two games of the four-game set, and they did it with the kind of balance that can travel deep into October. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal each turned in strong pitching performances, while Teoscar Hernndez supplied the thunder with a pair of two-run homers that helped keep Los Angeles in control.
Amid the current momentum, the bigger buzz for Dodgers fans is Shohei Ohtani, who is still working back from injuries but has recently taken batting practice. The team remains optimistic he could return before the end of the regular season, which would add another layer to a lineup already getting key production at the right time, even as everyone waits to see just how soon that final piece can fall into place. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Have A Real Josue De Paula Dilemma
Josue De Paula keeps giving the Dodgers another reason to think hard about the future. The top prospect homered against the Miami Marlins, a reminder that the 19-year-old has the kind of power and plate discipline that has drawn comparisons inside the organization to past Dodgers rookie-of-the-year types, including Mike Piazza. For a club that always seems to be balancing present contention with the next wave, De Paulas rise is becoming harder to ignore.
The timing, though, is what makes this interesting. Los Angeles also has to figure out where he fits once Shohei Ohtani comes off the injured list, and that sort of roster puzzle tends to say as much about a prospect as any scouting report does. De Paula is forcing the issue now, and the Dodgers may soon have to decide whether his bat is ready for a bigger stage or whether his path has to wait behind an even larger return. [Read more 🡒]