Can the Dodgers do what hasn’t been done since 2000? Los Angeles came into the year with a golden opportunity to win a third straight World Series title. And now that the Dodgers have clinched a playoff spot, bringing that to reality just got a little bit closer.
Otherworldly play from Ohtani
It’s a shame that we won’t get a true encore of Shohei Ohtani‘s 2025 playoff run, especially when taking into account just how good the two-way star was heading into the second half. As we noted back in July, Ohtani had the second-lowest wOBA among starting pitchers heading into the break. Plus, he was near the top in other statistical categories.
But things have changed since then.
Ohtani missed the All-Star Game, navigated bicep & knee problems for weeks, and ultimately was placed on the IL in early September to provide him with a reset to heal.
Look, no one should deny this was another incredible year for Ohtani, even if it may not have ended that way. From August 15 through September 15, Ohtani slashed .194/.316/.403 with 25 strikeouts over 17 contests. And yet, he still entered play on the 15th with 30 home runs, 59 extra-base hits, and a .901 OPS.
Yes, it was a very good season. And Ohtani was a leading reason why the Dodgers still rank among the best teams in the National League.
An even better rotation?
Assuming both Tarik Skubal & Blake Snell will be healthy, this Dodgers rotation should be rather interesting to watch.
The Dodgers landed the prized fish of the Trade Deadline, trading for Skubal at a time when there was some uncertainty regarding the club’s rotation. Would Ohtani come back in to pitch? Can Snell & Tyler Glasnow get to October healthy? Right now, a potential playoff rotation of Skubal, Snell, & Yoshinobu Yamamoto may be one of the best 1-2-3 punches we’ve seen in some time.
Skubal and Snell have done their part. Skubal’s put to bed some noise, especially since he didn’t put up dominant numbers in his first few starts as a Dodger. Thus far in the second half, the two-time Cy Young winner struck out 84 over 71 IP, along with a 2.28 ERA. And his signature changeup? That’s been just fine, as Skubal’s played it off his fastball with finesse & ease.
Snell has been even more masterful in this post-All-Star break stretch. The left-hander struck out 46 over 34 innings, along with a stellar 1.04 ERA in six starts.
Navigating trouble
The Dodgers’ offense has been largely productive in 2026 thanks to the cabal of Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Andy Pages, and Max Muncy. However, it hasn’t always been easy.
Kyle Tucker‘s 2026 season has not gone well. Even in this little stretch over the last month, he hit four home runs and eight extra-base hits. Tucker only slashed .193/.298/.386. Certainly not results expected from the $60MM man.
Mookie Betts‘ 2026 season has been up & down. But over the past few months, it’s been more up than down. Over the last month, Betts had 12 extra-base hits and a .852 OPS. Numbers expected out of Betts.
Newfound bullpen help
Injuries have wreaked havoc on Edwin Diaz, who was signed to be the closer for the Dodgers after the club had issues with stability late in games last year. But, it wound up being Tanner Scott who wound up being the stabilizer.
Scott, who signed with the club one year earlier, had his own problems in 2025. He didn’t pitch at all in the playoffs in ’25 but heads into the 2026 postseason as the most important arm in that pen. Scott’s .256 opponent’s wOBA is in the top 35 of the Majors among relievers with 35+ plate appearances, part of a year where he posted a sub-3.00 ERA and picked up 22 saves.
Alex Vesia and Edgardo Henriquez have helped set things up nicely for Scott. Both had sub-3.00 ERA figures, averaged over a strikeout per inning, and worked in almost 130 games between them.
What’s ahead?
Winning the division and locking up a top-two seed are now the goals.
The Dodgers should have no problem winning the division, as Los Angeles presently has a nine-game lead over the second-place Padres. Additionally, the Braves are 3.5 games behind the Dodgers for the #2 seed.
Check out more of our MLB coverage, including more on the Yankees’ playoff berth.