The Dodgers sealed their third 100-rob season in 5 years Sunday. They would possibly presumably presumably tie the franchise file of 106 wins with a truly finest closing homestand at Dodger Stadium this week. They boast the finest hunch differential in the essential leagues. It’s far already indubitably doubtless the most a success regular seasons in the club’s history.
But context sours that truth and modifies the memoir because the San Francisco Giants, by some ability, a technique or the other, were even larger. Projected by other folk and computers to conclude someplace in the aid of the Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the standings, the Giants are 102-54 — two games clear of the Dodgers for first role.
As a consequence, the Dodgers, householders of the 2nd-most effective file in the majors at 100-56, like a 16.1% chance to rob their ninth straight National League West title, fixed with FanGraphs. That implies they like got an 83.9% chance of taking part in in the wild-card sport Oct. 6 at Dodger Stadium — doubtless against the impulsively invincible St. Louis Cardinals.
So, it comes all of the plot in which down to this: The Dodgers must rob as a minimum two more games than the Giants over the next six days to love a chance to teach the NL West. If the Dodgers conclude two games larger than San Francisco, the teams would play a tiebreaker sport Monday at Oracle Park (the Giants claimed homefield advantage by winning the season series 10-9).
The winner would grab the division title and head straight to the National League Division Sequence. The loser would play in the unhealthy one-sport playoff at residence two days later.
The Dodgers host the reeling Padres for three games beginning Tuesday adopted by a three-sport assign aside against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers, who just like the third-most effective file (94-62) in the NL, like already clinched the NL Central title.
No matter how they conclude, the Brewers shall be seeded 2nd and must play the NL East champion, both the Atlanta Braves or Philadelphia Phillies, in the NLDS. Whether that impacts how they come the season’s closing weekend stays to be considered.
The Giants, meanwhile, just like the more favorable ideal schedule on paper. They host the 50-rob Arizona Diamondbacks — the NL’s worst crew — and the Padres to shut the regular season. A 5-1 week and San Francisco would assign aside the franchise file for wins, eclipsing the 1904 Nonetheless York Giants’ 106-rob season. They Giants shall be shorthanded, nonetheless, after first baseman Brandon Belt — the crew leader in residence runs, slugging, and OPS — fractured his left thumb Sunday. He is out indefinitely.
Whether the Dodgers take the Giants or no longer, the conclude shall be historical. One of them will change into factual the fifth crew in the divisional generation (beginning in 1969) to rob 100 games and conclude in 2nd role. They’ll be a part of the 2018 Nonetheless York Yankees (100-62), 2001 Oakland Athletics (102-60), 1993 Giants (103-59), and 1980 Baltimore Orioles (100-62).
Six diversified 100-rob teams accomplished in 2nd earlier than divisions were done. It came about to the Dodgers twice. The 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers accomplished tied with the Giants nonetheless misplaced a three-sport tiebreaker series for the NL pennant. The 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers went 104-50, two games in the aid of the Cardinals for the pennant.
These Dodgers teams weren’t given a 2nd chance. The wild-card sport used to be a few years away. They went residence. This year, they’re ensured of a chance to change into the first aid-to-aid World Sequence champions in 21 years. They’d factual are making an strive to withhold far off from the one-sport playoff. After six months, it comes all of the plot in which down to this week.
This epic initially seemed in Los Angeles Times.
