Dodgers magic numbers
09/16/2024 12:50 AM
A closer look at what the Dodgers need to clinch various things in the season's final days.
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 15
Dodgers 88-61 (.591)
Padres 85-65 (.567) 3½ games back
D-backs 83-66 (.557) 5 GB
The Dodgers magic number to clinch the division is 10.
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 15, the last National League team out of the postseason is the one of the Braves or Mets, who are tied for the third wild card spot.
Dodgers 88-61 (.591)
Braves/Mets 81-68 (.544) 7 games back
The Dodgers hold the tiebreaker over the Mets by winning four of six games, and Sunday's win in Atlanta also clinched the season series for the Dodgers over the Braves, winning four of their first six matchups. LA's magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 6.
National League seeding
It's a close battle between division leaders in the NL. Through September 15:
Phillies 90-59 (.604)
Dodgers 88-61 (.591)
Brewers 86-63 (.577)
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 11 over the Brewers to clinch a bye into the NLDS. Put another way, the Dodgers need 11 out of 26 outcomes to fall their way.
The Dodgers magic number to clinch the best record in the National League is 16.
