Dodgers Clinch First-Round Bye: Postseason Schedule and Latest News
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers are heading to the postseason with a bye and home-field advantage.
After the Atlanta Braves' 7-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, the Dodgers clinched one of the top two records in the National League and a first-round bye in the postseason. They will have home-field advantage in the best-of-five NL Division Series, which begins on Oct. 3 [citation:1].
Dodgers Clinch Bye and NLDS Home-Field Advantage
The Dodgers' 14th consecutive postseason berth now comes with a significant advantage: extra rest. The bye is more a need than a luxury for a team dealing with several lingering injuries [citation:1].
"I think we all know why it's important," Freddie Freeman said earlier this week. "There's a lot of us kind of limping toward the end here, a lot of aches and pains this year. It's good to get those guys back on the field, get some ABs in them and then rest up" [citation:1].
The Dodgers could still make a play for the top seed in the NL, which would give them home-field advantage through the NL Championship Series, but they trail the 100-win Brewers by 2 1/2 games with four left to play. Milwaukee also holds the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning the season series [citation:1].
Dodgers NLDS Schedule
Regardless of how the Wild Card picture unfolds, the Dodgers begin postseason play by hosting Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday, Oct. 3 [citation:6].
- Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 3 vs. TBD, Dodger Stadium
- Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 4 vs. TBD, Dodger Stadium
- Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 6 @ TBD
- Game 4*: Wednesday, Oct. 7 @ TBD
- Game 5*: Friday, Oct. 9 vs. TBD, Dodger Stadium
*if necessary
Latest Dodgers News: Ohtani Returns, De Paula Optioned
As expected by a team looking to close out the regular season at full strength, the Dodgers activated Shohei Ohtani from the injured list before Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres [citation:3].
Ohtani, who had been sidelined since Sept. 9 due to right biceps inflammation and lingering soreness in his left knee, returned to the lineup as the designated hitter. He went 1-for-4 with a single and a walk in his first game back [citation:13].
"He certainly feels way better with the rest," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said pregame. "The biggest thing is get him as many at-bats as we can, some rhythm and timing" [citation:13].
In a corresponding move, the Dodgers optioned top prospect Josue De Paula to Triple-A. De Paula impressed in his 11-game debut, hitting .323 with a 1.081 OPS and drawing more walks (11) than strikeouts (five) [citation:18].
Injury Updates: Freeman, Snell, and More
The bye week comes at a critical time for a Dodgers roster dealing with multiple injuries [citation:1][citation:11]:
- Freddie Freeman — dealing with right patellar tendinitis; has received more rest than usual down the stretch
- Blake Snell — exited his last start after one inning due to left groin tightness; could make another start before the regular season ends if it doesn't compromise him for October
- Roki Sasaki — expected to return from right middle finger blister before the end of the regular season
- Andy Pages — activated from the IL after recovering from a left hand fracture
- Edgardo Henriquez — regular season ended prematurely due to lower back discomfort; hope is he can return for the postseason
Dodgers Postseason Rotation
Yamamoto, Skubal, Snell, and Glasnow make up this year's Big Four. The rotation order is yet to be determined. One consideration is that Yamamoto is accustomed to starting on at least five days' rest, whereas the other three are comfortable starting on four days' rest [citation:11].
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Dodgers postseason begin?
The Dodgers open the 2026 postseason at home in the NLDS on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Dodger Stadium [citation:16].
Did the Dodgers get a first-round bye?
Yes. The Braves' loss on Thursday clinched no lower than the No. 2 seed for the Dodgers, ensuring a bye past the Wild Card round [citation:16].
Is Shohei Ohtani back from the injured list?
Yes. Ohtani was activated from the 15-day IL on Wednesday and returned to the lineup as the designated hitter [citation:3].
What is the Dodgers' magic number for the No. 1 seed?
The Dodgers trail the Brewers by 2 1/2 games for the top seed. They would need to finish with a better record than Milwaukee due to not holding the head-to-head tiebreaker [citation:1].
Who will the Dodgers play in the NLDS?
As the No. 2 seed, the Dodgers would face the winner of the Wild Card series between the No. 3 seed (likely the Braves) and the No. 6 seed. The Cubs, Phillies, and Padres are all in contention for Wild Card spots [citation:1][citation:6].
This article was originally published by True Blue LA. Source: True Blue LA — Dodgers postseason schedule opens October 3 in NLDS at Dodger Stadium. All credit to True Blue LA and MLB.com. Image courtesy of Getty Images.
This article is for informational purposes only. All information is based on available sources as of September 25, 2026.
0 टिप्पणियाँ