The Los Angeles Dodgers officially clinched a bye from the Wild Card round, allowing them to skip the jeopardy of a three-game series.
How the Dodgers clinched the bye
The Atlanta Braves lost 7-6 to the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, September 24th, and with the Dodgers’ magic number for a bye at one, the Braves’ loss secured the Dodgers’ finish at least in the top two spots.
The Dodgers’ result against the San Diego Padres on Thursday does not matter with regard to the bye.
Why the Dodgers needed the bye
The Dodgers will now get to rest until October 3rd, when the National League Division Series starts. LA will also have home-field advantage in the NLDS.
As the league’s oldest team, and with so many key players in their early to mid-30s, the Dodgers are somewhat hobbled going into the postseason.
Freddie Freeman has a sore knee; Shohei Ohtani’s right arm and left knee are sore, while Will Smith, Andy Pages, and Teoscar Hernandez are about a month removed from the injured list.
Additionally, Blake Snell had a groin flare-up, while Tyler Glasnow has already battled back spasms.
Now, the Dodgers get five days to rest, regroup, make roster decisions, and come out for the NLDS firing.
Where do the Dodgers sit in the standings?
The Brewers won on Wednesday, so they keep at least a one-game advantage over the Dodgers.
The Dodgers are now five games up on the Braves with four games left, leaving LA guaranteed to finish ahead of them.
