The Los Angeles Dodgers were already playoff-bound for the 14th straight season. But after taking down the Cincinnati Reds 8-2 on Thursday, they’re winners of the NL West for the 13th time in that span and for the fifth season in a row.
Of course, the streak L.A. cares about most will be at stake in the postseason. The Dodgers are aiming to become the first team to three-peat as World Series champions since the fabled New York Yankees of 1998-2000.
With the victory Thursday, the Dodgers (93-60) have the second-best record in the NL, behind only the Milwaukee Brewers (95-58), who clinched the NL Central earlier this week but dropped their series finale to the Pirates on Thursday. The Dodgers and Brewers will jockey for the NL’s top seed over the final week of the regular season.
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Meanwhile, L.A. will do its best to sort out an injury-riddled roster before the calendar flips to October. Most notably, the status of Shohei Ohtani will be acutely monitored, as the two-way star has been juggling issues with his biceps, left knee and neck.
Then there’s lefty starting pitcher Blake Snell, who’s dealing with a groin injury that ended his start Wednesday versus the Reds after just one inning.
Andy Pages is expected back in the Dodgers’ outfield soon. However, only time will tell how quickly he returns to form after healing from a fractured left hand.
A bullpen game and a flurry of early scoring sealed the NL West in Cincy
L.A. didn’t need one of its aces to secure the division on Thursday. Manager Dave Roberts, who’s overseen 10 of the NL West first-place finishes amid this memorable run, opted for a bullpen game.
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It went smoothly.
Lefty Justin Wrobleski spun three innings of shutout ball. He was the first to punch out Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who clocked out with three Ks.
Later, righty Landon Knack registered four innings on the bump, where he didn’t give up a run despite allowing four hits. Cincinnati’s lone run came in the fourth when Sal Stewart homered off Dodgers right-handed hurler Blake Treinen.
That merely made a dent in L.A.’s commanding 7-0 lead. The Dodgers built that in large part thanks to a trio of extra-base hits. Kyle Tucker went yard in the first inning, depositing a two-run dinger. He also hit an RBI double in the second. And in the fourth, Max Muncy drove home a pair of runs with a two-bagger.
The Reds and Dodgers traded runs in the ninth, with Miguel Rojas taking one deep for L.A. to put the exclamation point on its division-clinching victory.
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