The Dodgers are headed into the 2026 postseason with the kind of roster that makes another October march look very real. On paper, they have the rotation, bullpen and lineup to come out of the National League again, and the expectation is that they’ll be right in the middle of the World Series conversation.
But the twist in this three-peat chase is that the toughest road might not end in the NLDS. It might end only after the Dodgers get through the National League and reach the Fall Classic.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan relayed the view of one MLB general manager who sees the playoff picture breaking in a strange way.
"I'd take every NL playoff team over every AL playoff team," one general manager told Passan about the 2026 playoff fields.
That line captures the strange shape of the bracket. The Dodgers’ biggest threats in the National League include the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres. All of them bring real quality, and the NL as a whole is viewed as deeper and more dangerous.
The American League, by contrast, is described as having a clearer top tier with the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. Beyond that, the picture gets messier. The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox are trying to lock down the AL Central and the third and final Wild Card spot, while the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are tied for the AL West lead despite both sitting under .500.
That’s why the idea has taken hold that the Dodgers’ easiest matchup of the postseason could come only if they actually reach the World Series.
The Red Sox and Rays are the AL teams most likely to cause trouble for Los Angeles, while the Yankees are missing Aaron Judge and the rest of the field comes with more baggage. Even if the Dodgers have to survive a tougher National League bracket, the payoff could be a championship round that looks lighter than what came before it.
In other words, the Dodgers’ path to a third straight World Series appearance might be the hard part - and the final step might be the most manageable one.
In Other News...
Manny Machado Just Gave Dodgers Fans Another Reason To Hate October
Manny Machado managed to hit two very different notes in the same night during a recent Padres-Dodgers series, and both of them landed squarely in front of the Los Angeles crowd. Before doing damage at the plate, he signed autographs for Dodgers fans, then went on to launch a two-run home run and add a sacrifice fly in the game. For a player who has long been one of the more polarizing figures in the rivalry, it was a reminder that even his courteous moments can come with a competitive edge attached.
He later kept a promise by handing his batting gloves to a young fan, another small gesture that only sharpened the contrast between the public persona and the player Dodgers supporters have spent years bracing against. The bigger question, of course, is what all of this looks like if these teams meet again in October, when every Machado plate appearance carries more weight and every gesture, polite or otherwise, gets folded into the larger tension between San Diego and Los Angeles. [Read more 🡒]
Miguel Rojas Shared A Farewell Message Dodgers Fans Will Feel
Miguel Rojas has given Dodgers fans another reason to appreciate what he brings beyond the box score. After announcing he will retire following the 2026 season, he signed a one-year deal with Los Angeles for that final year on the field, keeping him in a familiar role as the Dodgers prepare for another stretch of championship expectations. Even as his playing days wind down, Rojas has already mapped out a future with the organization, with plans to help in player development and the front office in 2027.
Recently, Rojas also sent a public thank-you to Dodgers fans, a message that landed with extra weight because he is clearly nearing the end of his career. It was the kind of farewell note that reminds a fan base how much a veteran can mean over time, especially when a player has become part of the fabric of the clubhouse and the larger organizational picture. For the Dodgers, it adds a human layer to a simple roster move, and for Rojas, it signals that the next chapter may be just as tied to Los Angeles as the last one. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Enter October With One Big Tension After Padres Series
The Dodgers closed out their final homestand of the 2026 regular season by dropping two of three to the Padres, a series that carried a little more October feel than a typical late-September matchup. San Diego left with a postseason berth clinched and a likely home date in the Wild Card Series, while Los Angeles still finished where it wanted in the standings, locking up a first-round bye and ensuring its playoff run will begin with the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium.
Even with the split of priorities, the atmosphere around the club hardly felt ordinary. The Dodgers also wrapped the year by setting another franchise attendance mark, topping 4 million tickets sold for the second straight season, a sign of how much expectation has surrounded this group all year. Now the stage shifts from a sold-out regular season to October, where the real question is whether that home-field advantage can carry over after a homestand that left one familiar rival with a little extra momentum. [Read more 🡒]