For division champion Dodgers, the first-round bye in the MLB playoffs couldn’t come at a better time

Before the season began, many wondered just how good the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers could be. Not only did they add $700 million man Shohei Ohtani to a star-studded lineup, but with the additions of Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the rotation, it appeared as if L.A. was primed for a monster regular season.

Well, not everything has gone as planned for the Dodgers this season, as they’ve dealt with injuries to everyone from Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman to Glasnow, Yamamoto and rookie Gavin Stone. And yet, despite the roller coaster in the health department and a surge by the San Diego Padres in the second half, the Dodgers clinched their 11th NL West title in the past 12 seasons on Thursday while taking two of three from San Diego.

Prior to this week’s series against the Padres, the Dodgers were in the midst of a very up-and-down September. They’ve been looking for answers to a litany of questions in their rotation, but they’ve also just seemed flat. And after they dropped the first game against San Diego via a game-ending triple play that clinched a postseason berth for the Padres, it seemed like the Dodgers could be on the verge of a late-season collapse.

But the one thing the Dodgers have been throughout this year is resilient, so in reality, their coming back in Games 2 and 3 to win the series and clinch the division shouldn’t be all that much of a surprise.

Now that they’ve taken care of the division, the Dodgers have the opportunity this weekend to secure the top seed in the National League and the best record in MLB, which would lock up home-field advantage through the entire postseason, provided they take care of business against the lowly Rockies to finish the season.

And while there has been some debate in recent years about the value of earning the No. 1 seed in the postseason, this Dodgers squad might need the first-round bye more than any other team heading into October.

For one thing, the five days off will give the Dodgers some time to decide how to deploy their rotation in the NLDS. The Dodgers will be without Glasnow, Stone or Clayton Kershaw, who, while still attempting to return from bone spurs in his foot, is not healing as quickly as he or the team hoped.

That leaves Jack Flaherty, whom the team acquired at the trade deadline, as the most likely starter for Game 1. After Flaherty, the questions begin. What version of Yamamoto will we see? The Dodgers’ rookie pitched well in his first two outings since coming off the injured list due to a right shoulder strain, but he struggled in his most recent start against the Rockies and has not gone beyond four innings since returning. Still, he’s probably in line to pitch Game 2 for L.A.

After that, it appears that longtime Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler will be the third starter. Buehler has had some inconsistencies since returning from his second Tommy John surgery, but he has been trending in a positive direction, with a 3.31 ERA over his past three starts, including Thursday’s division-clinching victory. Finally, with Tony Gonsolin making his third rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, he could be called up on the final weekend of the regular season as a postseason option either in the rotation or out of the bullpen.

The extra days to get healthy will also be welcomed by the Dodgers’ lineup, which lost first baseman Freddie Freeman to a sprained ankle in Thursday’s series finale. Freeman told reporters after the game that he won’t play the remaining games of the regular season, but his goal is to be ready for Game 1 of the NLDS.

Additionally, shortstop Miguel Rojas, who has been huge for the Dodgers this season, aggravated a left adductor injury against San Diego. An MRI then revealed a tear that will reportedly require offseason surgery, but Rojas will attempt to play through it in the meantime. His ability to provide elite defense at shortstop and add some offense will be key for the Dodgers going forward.

When firing on all cylinders, the Dodgers are as tough a team to beat as any. But the reality is that even though they’re in position to have MLB’s best record, they’re not out of the woods yet. While a young, red-hot team such as the Tigers might lose momentum from having a bye in the first round, the Dodgers are a veteran team with plenty of postseason experience.

A few days to mentally reset while giving some key contributors time to heal is exactly what they need heading into October.