The Dodgers had their road trip from hell, losing five games in Pittsburgh and Baltimore before flying home after a win over the Orioles on Sunday. Here’s how the National League standings look with three weeks remaining to sort out postseason seeding.
NL West standings
Dodgers 79-64 (.552) – – –
Padres 78-65 (.545) 1 GB
Despite the Dodgers’ terrible week, they only ceded one game to the Padres, who were swept at home by the Orioles before taking two of three from the Rockies at Coors Field. The Dodgers own the tiebreaker,
with a magic number of 18 to win the division for the fourth year in a row. Put another way, each team has 19 games remaining, none against each other. The Dodgers need 18 of 38 decisions to go their way to win the NL West, while San Diego needs 21 of 38 outcomes to win the division.
National League seeding
- Brewers 89-55 (.618)
- Phillies 83-60 (.580)
- Dodgers 79-64 (.552)
- Cubs 81-62 (.566)
- Padres 78-65 (.545)
- Mets 76-67 (.531)
- Reds 72-71 (.503)
- Giants 72-71 (.503)
- D-backs 72-72 (.500)
- Cardinals 72-72 (.500)
The Dodgers at the moment are clinging to what would be the division winner with the third-best record, which at the moment would mean starting at home in the wild card round against the No. 6 Mets. The Dodgers are four games (and, at the moment, a tiebreaker) behind the Phillies for the No. 2 seed and a bye into the Division Series. But Los Angeles is two games (and a tiebreaker) behind the Cubs, so if the Dodgers don’t end up winning the division they might have to play the wild card round at Wrigley Field.
The Reds won two in a row over the Mets to cling to the periphery of contention, four games out and orbiting around .500 along with other pseudo-contenders the Giants, Diamondbacks, and Cardinals.
Up next this week: Dodgers vs. Rockies, Brewers at Rangers, Phillies, vs. Mets, Cubs at Braves, Padres vs. Reds, Giants vs. D-backs, Cardinals at Mariners.
