The Dodgers have already wrapped up the NL West, but the more valuable prize is still on the table: a Wild Card bye that would let them skip the opening round and line up their roster for the stretch run.
That matters now more than ever with injuries stacking up. Shohei Ohtani, Andy Pages and Edgardo Henriquez are among the key names dealing with issues, and getting out of the Wild Card round would give Los Angeles a chance to rest its veteran group instead of grinding through another series.
Los Angeles sits second in the National League right now, two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers and four games ahead of the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers’ magic number to lock down at least the No. 2 seed is down to six, with nine games left in the regular season. Milwaukee and Atlanta each have nine remaining as well.
The path to catching the Brewers is there, even if it’s not simple. Milwaukee still has to navigate a three-game road series against the Baltimore Orioles, then another three-game road set against the Philadelphia Phillies, before finishing at home against the St.
Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers, meanwhile, have six games left against the San Francisco Giants, who entered Friday’s games at 64-89.
There’s one catch: the Brewers own the tiebreaker after winning four games to three in the season series, so Los Angeles needs a little help along with a strong finish of its own.
Even so, the numbers say the bye is very much in play. FanGraphs gives the Dodgers a 97.8% chance to clinch one, while projecting Los Angeles to finish with 98.6 wins and Milwaukee with 100, which would leave the Dodgers short of the top seed. Baseball Reference is just as bullish, giving the Dodgers a 96.2% shot at securing a bye in the next week and change.
In Other News...
Dodgers Rehab Concern Emerges After Pitcher Exits Triple A Game Fast
Oklahoma Citys Friday doubleheader against El Paso brought a little of everything for the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate, including a pair of wins and a worrying development on the mound. The club finished off a suspended game and then handled a seven-inning contest, with Alex Thomas, Matt Gorski and Zach Ehrhard helping fuel the offense across the two games.
The more immediate concern was Jake Cousins, who was working his way back from Tommy John surgery and left the resumed game after throwing just one pitch because of a leg issue. For a Dodgers organization always keeping one eye on its pitching depth, any setback in a rehab assignment invites scrutiny, and Cousins exit adds another layer of uncertainty to a return that was already being carefully monitored. [Read more 🡒]
Josue De Paula Just Changed A Real Dodgers October Debate
The Dodgers kept rolling in the opener of their final homestand against the Giants, and the night carried more than the usual late-season edge because of Josue De Paulas Dodger Stadium debut. Los Angeles continued its dominance in the season series while putting up a big power display, leaving plenty to like from a lineup that found the seats five times and a rotation piece in Tyler Glasnow who handled six innings with six strikeouts.
Josue De Paulas impact is what will linger, though, because a strong first showing in Chavez Ravine only adds to the kind of internal conversation the Dodgers are built to have in October. With Glasnow working deep and the bullpen finishing the job without allowing another run, the game itself checked the familiar boxes. The more interesting part is how a debut like this can complicate a postseason picture that already has enough moving pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Tucker Just Gave Dodgers Fans A Scare They Couldnt Ignore
Kyle Tucker gave Dodgers fans a brief scare during the game against the San Francisco Giants when he fouled a pitch off his right knee and had to come out. The Dodgers treated it as a precautionary move, and Tucker was later seen on the bench favoring the knee but still smiling, which at least suggested the immediate concern was more about caution than panic.
Even so, any time Tucker is limping off the field, it gets attention quickly because of how well he has been swinging it lately. Over his last 15 games, he has been a steady source of offense for Los Angeles, making his health a point worth monitoring as the Dodgers look to keep their lineup intact. [Read more 🡒]