Is Monday the day the Los Angeles Dodgers clinch a spot in the 2026 postseason?
The Boys in Blue sit at 90-59 after a pair of losses to the Miami Marlins, nine games ahead of the San Diego Padres in the race for the National League West.
With a win against the Cincinnati Reds — first pitch is set for 3:40 p.m. PT — the Dodgers will have secured a playoff spot.
That’s not the only way they can make it in, though.
The Dodgers also lock up a spot if either the Padres lose at the Colorado Rockies or if the Arizona Diamondbacks lose against the Marlins, explains Dodgers reporter Katie Woo of The Athletic.
Will the Dodgers secure a playoff spot on Monday?
The game against the Reds certainly seems like a likely candidate for the Dodgers to lock up a postseason berth.
The Dodgers swept the Reds just last week, and while that series was at Dodger Stadium and this one is on the road, LA is putting its best foot forward.
Ace Tarik Skubal is starting the game on the mound.
Since he was dealt by the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline, he’s got a 2.93 ERA with 48 strikeouts in seven starts.
While his record is only 2-2, those numbers come amid a lengthy downturn for the team as a whole, but especially at the plate, where they’ve struggled to produce enough runs to support their stellar starting pitching.
If the bats can back up Skubal on Monday — something that seems likely given the offensive burst provided by newly added top prospect Josue De Paula — that playoff spot will be secured.
What’s the National League playoff picture looking like?
Granted, it’s not as if the Dodgers are in danger of missing the playoffs.
Before the terrible August they had, they were among the best teams in baseball, and ESPN puts their playoff odds at 99.9%, a virtual lock.
Now, they’re trying to lock up the second seed in the playoffs, which would secure a bye for the wild card round.
On Monday morning, the Dodgers remain 2.5 games ahead of the third-place Atlanta Braves.
Maintaining that No. 2 spot would be hugely beneficial for the banged-up Dodgers, allowing a few more days to get healthy ahead of the grueling playoffs.
