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The San Diego Padres aren't making life easy for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they try to clinch the National League West title. The Dodgers and Padres have already clinched their spot in the postseason, but the Padres have been one of the hottest teams in baseball, winning seven of their last 10 games. As the Dodgers wake up on Wednesday morning, they only have a 1.5-game advantage over the Padres in the division.
The Dodgers have five games remaining on their schedule, while the Padres have four games left. The Dodgers' magic number stands at three, and the earliest they could win the division would be on Thursday. That would require the Padres to lose their game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday afternoon, and then the Dodgers would need to take care of business against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Padres’ late-season push could flip NL West script on Dodgers
Of the nine total games remaining for the Padres and Dodgers, if seven of those outcomes go in favor of San Diego, Los Angeles will lose the National League West. That could have a disastrous effect on the Dodgers, who, depending on the outcome of the Chicago Cubs' final five games, might be forced to start their playoff journey on the road instead of hosting the National League Wild Card round at Dodger Stadium.
If the Dodgers don't find themselves in the scenario where they fail to clinch on Thursday, things could get dicey — the Dodgers have to finish the season on the road, playing the Seattle Mariners, who are still fighting for seeding. Winners of five straight games and overtaking the Houston Astros in the American League West, it's not an ideal time for LA To be facing Seattle, especially when the Dodgers have been plagued with bullpen issues of late.
Meanwhile, after wrapping up their series against the Brewers on Wednesday, the Padres are off on Thursday before hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend. Despite selling off at the trade deadline, the Diamondbacks have remained competitive, but they don't exactly have the level of talent that the Dodgers will be playing in Seattle. Not to mention, the D-backs are just one game out of the NL Wild Card picture, so they will not be lying down by any means.