The Dodgers are closing the regular season Sunday afternoon against the San Francisco Giants, and they still have a milestone within reach: their 100th win, something they last did in 2023.
Saturday brought a useful final tune-up for Blake Snell, who returned to the mound for the first time since leaving early against the Cincinnati Reds on September 16. He worked four shutout innings in the Dodgers’ 4-3 win over the Giants, struck out three and didn’t issue a walk. For Snell, the outing offered a clear step forward at the right time, with October now right around the corner and a little extra recovery time built in.
“Really encouraged by it, and just happy to get my legs underneath and get going and completely move past the groin,” Snell said. “I mean, it felt great today, and the velo was good. And was inconsistent -- I’ve got to figure my body out a little more, but I got a week to do so, and I’m really looking forward to that.”
Shohei Ohtani, meanwhile, has shown enough in his four games since coming off the injured list to keep the Dodgers encouraged about what’s ahead. Manager Dave Roberts pointed to a better at-bat approach as a sign the offensive rhythm may be coming back.
“I hope that’s a sign of things to come,” Roberts said. “Even ... taking the first slider from Robbie Ray [on Wednesday] for a ball got him into a good count.
Whereas the last couple weeks, [it was] really hair on fire, swinging and chasing. It’s a hard way to make a living that way, right?”
In the bullpen picture, both Roki Sasaki and Tanner Scott are set for the postseason. Sasaki is looking to bring back his ferocity in relief, while Scott is aiming to make his first big postseason statement in a Dodgers uniform.
In Other News...
Dodgers Prospect Suddenly Has A Real Playoff Roster Case
With the 2026 MLB playoffs approaching, roster decisions around the league are starting to get interesting, especially for clubs that could use an extra burst of upside in October. For the Dodgers, that conversation now reaches into the prospect group, where outfielder Josue De Paula has emerged as a name worth watching as teams sort through the final pieces of their postseason plans.
De Paula is part of a broader crop of young players who could be in the mix for playoff consideration, alongside names like Ethan Salas, Carlos Lagrange, Jesus Made and Andrew Fischer. Some of those prospects have already shown enough in the minors, or even in brief big league action, to make the discussion real, but for the Dodgers the question is whether De Paulas profile has become strong enough to force his way onto a postseason roster when the games start to matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Staff Suddenly Tied To A Mariners Search Fans Should Watch
The Mariners managerial search has quickly become one of the more intriguing openings of the offseason, and it comes with a familiar Dodgers angle attached. After parting ways with Dan Wilson following a disappointing 2026 season, Seattle president Jerry Dipoto is looking for a replacement with major league experience, and the list of names already being discussed includes two people connected to the Dodgers in special assistant Rocco Baldelli and first base coach Chris Woodward.
Seattle is casting a wide net while making calls around the league, with other candidates reportedly in the mix as well. For Dodgers fans, the takeaway is simple enough: Los Angeles could wind up losing a bit of staff continuity if either Baldelli or Woodward emerges as a serious option, and this is the kind of search that can move quickly once a team starts narrowing its field. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face One Awkward Roster Hurdle Before The NLDS
The Dodgers wrapped up a sweep of the Giants and now turn their attention to the NLDS, where theyll face either the Phillies or Braves. Even with the division work finished, theres still some roster sorting to do, especially in the bullpen after a mix of injuries and returns has left the club weighing its best October group.
Josue De Paula and Dalton Rushing are part of the conversation on the position-player side, too, with a competition that has lingered even after De Paula was optioned to Triple-A. De Paula still appears to be the favorite for the postseason roster, while Rushing has been reactivated from the injured list, leaving the Dodgers with one more awkward decision to make before the series begins. [Read more 🡒]