The Los Angeles Dodgers are National League West champions for the fifth year in a row and 13th time in the past 14 seasons.
This is the earliest that the Dodgers have clinched the NL West since 2023, when they won the division on Sept. 16 in what was their 147th game that season. They needed 153 games to do so this year.
Prior to their division-clinching win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, the Dodgers had already punched their ticket for October baseball. This marks a 14th consecutive year the team is in the playoffs.
The Dodgers’ streak of 14 consecutive postseason appearances is tied with the Atlanta Braves (1991-2005) for the longest in MLB history.
This also marks the 13th consecutive full season the Dodgers have won at least 90 games. That broke a tie with the New York Yankees for most consecutive 90-win seasons in MLB history. The last time the Dodgers failed to reach 90 wins in a full season came in 2012.
Earlier this year, the Dodgers broke an NL record with their 16th consecutive winning season.
Up next for Dodgers
Clinch top 2 seed in NL
At minimum, the Dodgers have guaranteed themselves a top-three seed in the NL postseason bracket. They currently hold the No. 2 spot, which would come with an automatic bye to the Division Series.
The Dodgers’ magic number for a top-two seed is six entering play on Friday. They are currently four games ahead of the Atlanta Braves and need to finish with a better record due to not having the head-to-head tiebreaker.
L.A. is also within striking distance of the Milwaukee Brewers, who hold a two-game lead for the No. 1 seed. Just like with the Braves, the Dodgers would need to finish with a better record than the Brewers due to not having the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Finish regular season
The Dodgers still have nine games remaining on their 2026 schedule, including a pair of three-game series against the San Francisco Giants and a three-game set with the San Diego Padres.
The Giants are in the midst of another lost season, but the Padres have been one of the hottest teams in baseball as of late, winning nine of their last 10 games and pulling away from the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final NL Wild Card spot.
Injuries
Also of paramount importance for the Dodgers is the health of Shohei Ohtani, Andy Pages, Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell. Pages and Sasaki both appear to be on the verge of returning, and Snell to this point has managed to avoid the injured list but left his most recent start due to groin tightness.
Ohtani is going through a buildup and hitting progression since being put on the IL because of continued left knee and right bicep/arm trouble.
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