Dodgers Officially Clinch NL West, Move Closer to First-Round Bye

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the kings of the West — again.

For the 13th time in the last 14 years, the Dodgers have won the National League West.

Following their 8-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, the Dodgers officially clinched the division, continuing their reign of dominance.

The Dodgers have clinched a postseason berth in 14 straight years. The only year they didn't win the NL West in that stretch was 2021, when they won 106 games but fell one short of the 107-win San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers, however, ousted the Giants in the NL Division Series that year.

This year, it was more of a cakewalk for the Dodgers, who didn't play their best baseball all year but started to run away with the division in late May.

By the end of June, the Dodgers had built a double-digit lead in the NL West. The lowest it got over the next three months was seven games.

Dodgers' Magic Number to Clinch First-Round Bye

The Dodgers are now 93-60 and hold a four-game lead over the Atlanta Braves for the No. 2 seed in the NL. Their magic number to clinch the No. 2 seed is down to six.

The Dodgers are still within striking distance of the Milwaukee Brewers for the top seed, which comes with home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

The most important thing for the Dodgers, though, is securing one of the top two seeds, as that would allow them to avoid the wild-card round and begin the postseason on Oct. 3 in the NLDS. That is especially important this year, as the team deals with injuries to a handful of key players, led by Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani has already been ruled out from pitching again this season. He's also on the IL for the first time as a Dodger due to lingering knee and biceps injuries.

The Dodgers are hopeful Ohtani is able to return before the end of the regular season on Sept. 27. He's eligible to return on Sept. 23.

At this point, every extra day Ohtani can have off is better. The same can be said for many of his teammates.

Blake Snell left his start on Wednesday after one inning due to left groin tightness. He's hopeful to make another start this regular season, but manager Dave Roberts isn't so sure.

If the Dodgers avoid the wild-card round, Snell wouldn't have to pitch again until Oct. 6 in Game 3 of the NLDS.

Then there's Edgardo Henriquez, who's dealing with a low-grade back strain that has him sidelined for the rest of the regular season. While it's uncertain whether he'd be able to return for a wild-card series, it's a stronger possibility he'd be back by the NLDS.

The Dodgers have been able to win the NL West in spite of all their injuries this season. However, come October, there's no room for error, and the team needs to be as healthy as possible for the final month of the season.

On Thursday, they'll pop champagne to celebrate another division title before heading on a flight back to Los Angeles. On Friday, they'll continue their quest of clinching a first-round bye.

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