The Los Angeles Dodgers secured home-field advantage through the 2024 World Series by clinching the best record in baseball with the Philadelphia Phillies losing to the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
It’s the second time in the last three years that the Dodgers will finish with the best record in baseball. They also did so in 2017 and 2020, which saw them reach the World Series on both occasions.
The Dodgers’ path to clinching the best record in baseball was much different this year as the team had to constantly navigate through injuries and overcome adversity.
Given those reasons, manager Dave Roberts believes the accomplishment was more gratifying than past seasons, via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“It’s really satisfying,” Roberts said of clinching MLB’s best record, with his club now 97-64. “So now, once we finish out tomorrow, we’ll regroup over the week. And I expect our guys to have that same focus, and more so than we’ve had these last few weeks.”
After Sunday’s regular-season finale at Coors Field, the Dodgers will host the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium with Game 1 on Saturday, Oct. 5, and Game 2 scheduled for Oct. 6.
If necessary, the NLDS would return to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Friday, Oct. 11.
The Dodgers have a first-round bye in the postseason for the third consecutive year since MLB expanded the playoff field. L.A. didn’t fare well the first two times, but the five-day break could benefit the club this year due to all of their injuries.
Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas are among the players who were banged up over the past week and hope to return for the start of the postseason.
Dodgers NLDS Game 1 starter
The Dodgers’ rotation for the NLDS is going to consist of Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler and Landon Knack.
While an official decision has not been made, Roberts indicated the team is leaning toward Flaherty being the Dodgers Game 1 starter.
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