The Dodgers took a step closer to locking up the National League West, and the standings tightened in their favor after a 6-2 win over the Miami Marlins.
That victory dropped Los Angeles’ magic number to win the division to four games. The chase for the No. 2 seed in the NL also moved closer, with that magic number down to 12 games.
Kyle Tucker and Blake Snell helped carry the night for the Dodgers, giving them enough to finish off what the source described as a signature win.
Los Angeles now has 15 games left in the 2026 season, and most of what remains comes against teams with losing records. The Dodgers still have six games against the Giants, three against the Padres, four in Cincinnati and two more on the current road trip in Miami.
Even with the numbers shrinking, Dave Roberts said the club is keeping its focus narrow. “I didn’t appreciate how close the division was to clinching, but I guess for me, maybe it’s not great, but I’m just focused on tonight, but I do think it’s a special moment once you clinch,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers are still chasing the Milwaukee Brewers in the overall NL standings, sitting 1.5 games back after Milwaukee blasted the Reds 20-0. The Brewers also clinched a postseason berth, becoming one of the first two teams to do so along with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Atlanta remains four games behind Los Angeles entering the weekend, and the Braves hold the tiebreaker over the Dodgers. That leaves Los Angeles with plenty of reason to keep pushing through the final stretch.
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More important for Los Angeles, the transaction opened a spot on the 40-man roster for top prospect Josue De Paula, a name Dodgers fans have been tracking closely as the organization continues to juggle immediate depth with future upside. Even for a team that is always thinking several moves ahead, this was the kind of understated roster shift that hints at what may be coming next. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers May Have Found An Unexpected October Arm After All
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For a club that is always looking for one more usable arm when the games get tighter, the timing matters as much as the performance. Los Angeles is already adjusting its postseason plan after Shohei Ohtanis season-ending injury, and Bubics recent stretch at least opens the door to a relief role in the playoff bullpen if the Dodgers decide he is ready for that kind of October trust. [Read more 🡒]
Freddie Freemans Absence Just Raised A Bigger Dodgers Concern
Freddie Freeman sat out his second straight game with right knee soreness, and for a Dodgers team trying to keep its lineup stable, the timing is worth watching. Manager Dave Roberts said Freeman received treatment and is expected back the following day, but the bigger point is that this has not been a one-day inconvenience. It has started to show up in Freemans hitting, which makes the absence feel less like a routine maintenance day and more like something the Dodgers need to monitor closely.
Los Angeles has leaned on Freeman for middle-of-the-order consistency, so even a short stretch without him changes the look of the lineup. If the knee issue is still bothering him at the plate, the Dodgers are not just waiting for him to return to first base, they are waiting to see whether he can get back to being himself once he does. [Read more 🡒]