It’s clinching time for the Dodgers.
With their 11-2 win over those pesky San Diego Padres on Sunday, the Dodgers all but clinched a playoff berth for the 10th season in a row.
The Dodger celebrated making the playoffs after the game on Sunday, but because of an MLB error, there is still a scenario where the Dodgers miss the playoffs. The Dodgers can erase that error by beating the Diamondbacks in Arizona today. Still, the Dodgers were ready for the postseason after beating the Padres.
“It's a big accomplishment," Roberts told the Associated Press after Sunday’s game. “For me it's just making sure guys appreciate that it's not a rite of passage to get into the postseason every year and there's still a lot of work to be done. I feel our best baseball is yet to be played and just continue to stay focused.”
It is a big accomplishment to make the playoffs, even if MLB keeps making it easier to make the playoffs every year. But the Dodgers need to do more than just make the playoffs. They need to win some more World Series.
The Dodgers magic number for clinching the National League West championship is two. That means the Dodgers can wrap up the NL West title as early as Tuesday in Arizona. Heat up the pool. The Dodgers are going to need it to celebrate.
The Dodgers are on quite a playoff streak. Only the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees have longer playoff streaks.
The Braves made the playoffs 14 seasons in a row from 1991 to 2007. They only won one World Series in that streak, and the 1991 season brings up some bad memories for Dodger fans. The Braves have a way of ruining the best laid plans of good Dodger teams.
The Braves lost four times in the World Series to go with that one championship during that run.
The Yankees made the playoffs 13 times in a row from 1995 to 2007. They had a better record in the World Series, winning four, and three in a row from 1998 to 2000.
The Dodgers have played in three World Series since 2017 and won only one, in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
The Dodgers are making a historic run in 2022 though. They are on pace to break their franchise record for wins in a season, 106. They have a shot at breaking the major league record for wins in a season, 116 by the 2001 Seattle Mariners and the 1906 Chicago Cubs.
But the only wins that matter for the Dodgers are the four in the World Series.
Still the Dodgers have been on a roll lately. They went 4-2 last week against the San Francisco Giants and the Padres. They are 6-2 in their last eight games. And they increased their lead in the NL West standings over the Padres to 20 games after Sunday’s games.
The Padres have not been much of a challenge in the NL West. The Dodgers have won eight series in a row against the Padres since June 2021. The Dodgers are 12-3 against the Padres in their past 15 games and 21-4 against the Padres in their past 25 games.
The Dodgers didn’t let up in Sunday’s game.
Justin Turner hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in six runs. Chris Taylor and Trea Turner also hit home runs.
Andrew Heaney won his third game of the season, giving up two runs on three hits in five innings.
With 23 games left in the season, the Dodgers have the luxury of resting some of their star players and setting up for the playoffs.
Dodger starter power rankings:
- Julio Urias
- Andrew Heaney
- Clayton Kershaw
- Tyler Anderson
- Dustin May
The Dodgers (96-43) start a three-games series against the Diamondbacks in Arizona on Monday and head to San Francisco for a weekend series against the Giants starting on Friday.
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