Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers still have 10 games left to play in the 2020 MLB season, they’ve become the first team to secure a playoff spot following their 7-5 win over San Diego Padres on Wednesday with a MLB-best 35-15 record.
This marks the eighth consecutive time the Dodgers have made a postseason trip, which is also the third-longest streak in the league’s history.
To secure a playoff spot this early in the season, the Dodgers needed to win against the Padres and for the Colorado Rockies and the Milwaukee Brewers to lose their games, which all ended up happening.
“I think it caught us all by surprise — we were so focused on winning the series,” manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “I think word will travel on the plane. But it should be celebrated, for sure.”
Only two teams have made the playoffs more times in a row—the New York Yankees, with 13 consecutive appearances between 1995 and 2007, and the Atlanta Braves with 14 consecutive appearances between 1991 and 2005.
“We still have a lot of baseball to play, but it’s a credit to those guys in the clubhouse,” Roberts added.
The next focus of the team is to secure the National League West title, but it’s worth noting that the Padres are only four games behind. This will be a bit easier after the Dodgers got a tiebreaker, and they have a 6-4 head-to-head record.
