The Los Angeles Dodgers are National League West champions for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons, and the fifth consecutive year.
More than half of their reign over the division has coincided with Mookie Betts’ tenure with the franchise. Betts now has been part of six Dodgers teams that have won the NL West, and of course three World Series championships as well.
“It’s amazing,” Betts told David Vassegh on SportsNet LA when discussing the 2026 NL West title. “Obviously it’s not just me. We’ve got a great group of guys. It’s fun. Step one. We’ve got a long way to go, but winning is always fun.”
Mookie Betts makes promise
Part of the Dodgers’ success this year, especially over the past several weeks, has come because of Betts improving on season-long struggles.
“Thank you for sticking with me,” Betts said when asked if he had a message for Dodgers fans. “I know it was hard. I make it hard sometimes, but thank you for sticking by my side, by our side. We’ve got something special coming.”
With a 14th consecutive postseason berth on the horizon, the Dodgers are still playing for seeding in the NL bracket. Scenarios still open to them range from the No. 1 seed to being third. They enter play Friday trailing the Milwaukee Brewers by two games for the best record in baseball.
At No. 2 in the NL, the Dodgers are four games ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the all-important bye in the first round of the postseason. L.A. does not hold the tiebreaker over the Brewers or Braves.
With respect to Atlanta, the Dodgers missed out on an opportunity to clinch the tiebreaker due to getting swept at Truist Park from Aug. 25-27. Though, the implications and potential playoff preview did not resonate with Betts.
“We’ve won two Wild Card Series, we’ve won with the bye. So I don’t think it really matters,” Betts said of NL seeding during that series. “I mean, if you want to make it matter, sure. But it doesn’t matter when you play. You’re going to have to get timely hits and pitch. There’s no secret or magic formula to it. It’s just about playing good ball.”
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