The Dodgers still have plenty of runway left in the regular season, but the path to the NL West crown is starting to look pretty clear.
Los Angeles came out of the break sitting on top of the baseball world at 61-36, then stumbled through a 21-19 stretch after the All-Star break. The issue has been offense, or more specifically the lack of it, and that slip has trimmed their division cushion enough to keep the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres mathematically alive.
Even so, the Dodgers are in solid position. They hold a 9.5-game edge over Arizona, and their magic number is down to 16. That means a 16-10 finish over their final 26 games would lock up the division and leave no room for anyone else to catch them.
A fifth straight NL West title should still be the expectation, especially with this kind of payroll and talent spread across the roster. But the bigger question now is where they land in the playoff bracket. That part is not fully in their hands.
Right now, the Milwaukee Brewers own the top seed in the National League, while the Atlanta Braves hold the tiebreaker over Los Angeles for the No. 2 spot. If things stay that way, the Dodgers would have to go through the wild-card round instead of getting a breather before the Division Series.
That’s a swing the Dodgers had chances to change recently. Matchups with both the Brewers and Braves over the last two weeks offered a chance to climb back into the race for one of those top two seeds, but instead LA went 1-6 against the two teams ahead of them.
There is still a manageable finish line ahead. Of the six teams left on the schedule, only the San Diego Padres are within a game of a playoff spot. That should leave the Dodgers favored in most of their remaining games, which makes the final month a chance to build some momentum before October arrives.
“Once the calendar gets to September, I think guys by nature see the finish line more,” manager Dave Roberts said. “They get more excitable because their finish line is getting closer.
So that that could be it. But yeah, we just need something to kind of spur that change.
And for me, I’m just trying to look at what I can do to help spur that too.”
FanGraphs still gives the Dodgers a 77.4% chance to clinch a first-round bye, while the Braves sit at 34% despite being in the driver’s seat.
In Other News...
Dodgers Roster Shakeup Just Squeezed Out One Veteran Role Player
The Dodgers got a wave of reinforcements back on the active roster, activating catchers Will Smith and Dalton Rushing along with left-hander Justin Wrobleski from the injured list. To clear space, the club also recalled infielder Alex Freeland from Triple-A, while outfielder Alek Thomas was optioned back to Triple-A and top prospect James Tibbs III stayed put for now.
The biggest roster casualty in the shuffle was Ben Rortvedt, who was designated for assignment to make room. For a Dodgers team constantly balancing health, depth and development, the move underscores how crowded the catching picture has become, and how quickly a veteran role player can be the odd man out when the injured list starts to empty. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Chose Caution With A September Call-Up Fans Wanted More From
The Dodgers had a fresh roster spot to work with and plenty of outside noise about which young bat should get the nod, but they went with infielder Alex Freeland instead of making the splashier move some fans were hoping for. Dave Roberts had hinted at adding a left-handed bat, and the conversation quickly turned toward top prospects such as James Tibbs III and Josue De Paula, both of whom would have brought more intrigue to the call-up picture.
Instead, Los Angeles stayed on the conservative path, a choice that fits the clubs usual September balancing act between present needs and long-term caution. Freelands recent Triple-A work has been more modest, while Tibbs has been turning in better results, but the Dodgers seem in no rush to force the issue, and the move could also keep more outfield options open for Tommy Edman as the roster shuffle continues. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Catching Shakeup Begins As Will Smith Finally Returns
Will Smith is back on the active roster, and the Dodgers did more than simply plug him back into the lineup. Los Angeles activated Smith along with Dalton Rushing and Justin Wrobleski, while also recalling infielder Alex Freeland from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioning center fielder Alek Thomas as the club shuffled its roster heading into the next stretch of the season.
The bigger catching move came with Ben Rortvedt being designated for assignment to make room for Smith after his stay on the 60-day injured list because of neck inflammation. For the Dodgers, Smiths return restores a familiar presence behind the plate, but the roster squeeze around him hints that the catching situation may still be in flux as the club sorts out how to balance health, depth, and day-to-day playing time. [Read more 🡒]