3 series Dodgers must win to hold off Padres, Diamondbacks in NL West standings

Over the last decade, Los Angeles has become the gold standard for success in the regular season. Since 2013, the Dodgers have won the division title in the NL West each season besides once (Giants in 2021). With under 30 games left in the 2024 regular season, the Dodgers are currently sitting in first place yet again, but two teams are in the Dodgers' rearview mirror.

The Dodgers' slimmer-than-it-should-be lead over the D-Backs and Padres is still within reach. Each team is very much in contention of garnering the division title. With the final slate of games on deck for the Dodgers, despite injuries continuing to pile up, they will need to play their best baseball before the regular season comes to an end. Once their series against the Orioles wraps up on Friday, Los Angeles has nine series remaining. These will be the three most important ones in fending off their challengers.

LA Dodgers Must-Win Series No. 1: Road Trip to Arizona

The Dodgers fly to Phoenix on August 30 for a four-game set against the D-backs. Obviously, the Dodgers need to take this series in order for Arizona to not make up any ground. This will be the final time this season that Los Angeles will face Arizona, who has five wins in nine games against the Dodgers in 2024.

These teams last played in a three-game set from July 2-4, which saw the D-Backs take the final two games. The Dodgers allowed 12 and nine runs in those defeats behind rough starts from Gavin Stone and Landon Knack.

LA Dodgers Must-Win Series No. 2: Road Trip to Atlanta

The Dodgers have one other four-game series in September and it is also on the road, facing the Braves from Sept. 13-16. This will be a highly-anticipated series between two National League powerhouses, although Atlanta may be the underdog.

The Braves are five games back in the NL East and hold the final spot in NL Wild Card race entering the weekend, meaning they will be playing each game with a playoff intensity for the rest of the season.

The Dodgers swept the Braves in early May at home in their only other series against them this year. In that series, Andy Pages, Max Muncy and Shohei Ohtani took turns reeling in four-hit games against the 2021 World Series champs.

LA Dodgers Must-Win Series No. 3: Close it Out on Top at Home

The Dodgers' final home series of the 2024 regular season will be a three-game slate against the Padres from Sept. 24-26. At this point, the Dodgers will be hopeful to already have the division title locked down, but anything can happen in the last month of the season.

The Padres don't have the toughest schedule to end their year, facing the Giants, Tigers, Mariners and White Sox before flying out to Hollywood. San Diego has a chance to take each of those series, placing them in serious contention of winning the division, so the Dodgers have to unquestionably bring their A-game.

This season, the Dodgers have struggled against the Friars in 2024, winning just three of 10 games. This can make LA fans a bit nervous if this final series has the opportunity to sway the division winner.

There are 30 games left, but these 11 contests are the dealbreaker.