The Dodgers’ sweep of the Rockies gave them some breathing room for a potential 12th National League West title in 13 years, but an uphill battle remains in trying to avoid playing in the wild card round.
NL West standings
Dodgers 82-64 (.562) – – –
Padres 79-67 (.541) 3 GB
While the Dodgers took all three from the Rockies, San Diego lost two of three games at home to the clinging-to-relevance Reds. The Dodgers own the tiebreaker over the Padres by winning nine of their 13 matchups this season. The magic number for
a Los Angeles division title is 13.
National League seeding
This is where it gets tricky for the Dodgers, as the Phillies have won three straight themselves and remain four games up on the Dodgers for the No. 2 seed in the NL playoffs, which would secure a bye straight into the division series. Philadelphia won two of three games over the Dodgers in April, and next week’s series between the two teams at Dodger Stadium will go a long way toward figuring out which of them will secure the bye.
- Brewers 89-58 (.605)
- Phillies 86-50 (.589)
- Dodgers 82-64 (.562)
- Cubs 83-63 (.568)
- Padres 79-67 (.541)
- Mets 76-70 (.521)
- Giants 74-72 (.507)
- Reds 74-72 (.507)
Even with a loss on Wednesday, the Giants have won 13 of their last 17 to pull within two games of the Mets for the final wild card spot. San Francisco faces an uphill climb toward October, and the Dodgers will have something to say about it considering the longtime rivals play seven times over the next 10 days beginning Friday at Oracle Park.
“I still stand by that it’s up to us how we play, regardless of opponents,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “You’ve got a division rival, a team that’s hungry and playing well. It’s going to be a battle up there for three nights.”
Current Dodgers scenario: No. 3 seed, hosting No. 6 seed Mets in wild card round at Dodger Stadium.
Up next: Dodgers at Giants, Padres vs. Rockies, Brewers vs. Cardinals, Phillies vs. Royals, Cubs vs. Rays, Mets vs. Rangers, Reds at A’s
