DODGERS MAGIC NUMBERS

The Dodgers are inching closer to their 12th consecutive postseason berth, with a chance for a third straight National League West title and 11th divisional crown over those last dozen years. Here’s what they need over the regular season’s final days to clinch various things, including qualifying and playoff seeding.

“I think of it in two separate parts. One is the regular season goal, which is to win the division, and put ourselves in the best position to accomplish our ultimate goal,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said during the SportsNet LA broadcast on September 9 against the Cubs. “The ultimate goal obviously is to win the World Series.”

National League West

Division standings through September 17

Dodgers 89-62 (.589)

Padres 86-66 (.566) 3½ games back

D-backs 83-68 (.550) 6 GB

The Dodgers magic number to clinch the division is 8.

San Diego beat the Dodgers in seven of their 10 matchups this season and has clinched the season series, earning the tiebreaker should the two teams finish with the same record. Los Angeles won the season series over Arizona, 7-6, so they hold that tiebreaker.

Should these three teams finish tied, the division winner will be the team with the best record against the other two teams. The Padres currently hold that advantage at 12-8 against the Dodgers and D-backs; Arizona is 11-12 and Los Angeles is 10-13.

San Diego during the final week of the season will face both teams on the road, first against the Dodgers from September 24-26 at Dodger Stadium and then at the D-backs from September 27-29 in Phoenix.

Clinching a playoff spot

Through September 17, the last National League team out of the postseason is the Braves, who behind the Mets for the third wild card spot.

Dodgers 89-62 (.589)

Mets 83-68 (.550) wild card

Braves 81-70 (.536) 8 games back of LA

The Dodgers hold the tiebreaker over the Mets by winning four of six games, and they hold the tiebreaker by winning five of seven against the Braves.

LA’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 3 over the Braves, but ...

The Braves and Mets still have three games against one another next week, ensuring that at least one of them will finish with at least 71 losses. On September 18, the Dodgers can clinch a playoff berth with a win PLUS a Braves loss AND a Mets loss. That would put LA at 90 wins and ensure one of Atlanta or New York will finish with at least 72 losses, and the Dodgers hold the tiebreaker over both teams.

National League seeding

It’s a close battle between division leaders in the NL. Through September 17:

Phillies 91-60 (.602)

Dodgers 89-62 (.589)

Brewers 87-64 (.576)

Division winners with the two best records earn byes directly into the division series, while the third-best division winner has to play in the best-of-three wild card round.

The Dodgers lost the season series against the Phillies, dropping five of six games, giving Philadelphia that tiebreaker. But Los Angeles owns the tiebreaker over the Brewers by winning four out of seven over Milwaukee.

The Dodgers have a magic number of 9 over the Brewers to clinch a bye into the NLDS. Put another way, the Dodgers need 9 out of 22 outcomes to fall their way.

The Dodgers magic number to clinch the best record in the National League is 14.

2024-09-16T04:59:55Z dg43tfdfdgfd