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Dodgers Clinch Home-Field Advantage For Potential NL Postseason Tiebreaker With Rockies, Are In Favorable Position For Other Scenarios

Jeff Spiegel
3 Min Read
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

With the stretch run in full effect and multiple postseason spots still up for grabs, let’s get a quick refresher on how tiebreakers work and where the Los Angeles Dodgers stand.

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If two teams were to tie for a division championship or the second Wild Card spot, then a play-in game would determine who would advance. In the case of two division winners tying or two teams tying for the first Wild Card spot, however, then tie-breakers would go into effect.

Here is the full-list of tie-breakers to determine which division champion would get home field advantage in the NL Division Series/which Wild Card team would get home-field advantage for the play-in game:

1. Head-to-head winning percentage during the regular season.
2. Higher winning percentage in intradivision games.
3. Higher winning percentage in intraleague games.
4. Higher winning percentage in the last half of intraleague games.
5. Higher winning percentage in the last half plus one intraleague game, provided that such additional game was not between the two tied clubs. Continue to go back one intraleague game at a time until the tie has been broken.

As you can imagine, things rarely get past tiebreaker No. 2, but when it comes to the postseason, you never know what could happen.

In regards to the Dodgers, the two most logical teams to look at for potential tie-breakers are the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves. Should the Dodgers end up tied with the Colorado Rockies, it would be in a scenario that would require a play-in game and not a tie-breaker.

Monday’s win guaranteed the Dodgers would host a 163rd game of the season rather than have to face the Rockies at Coors Field.

With the Braves, the Dodgers could potentially win the NL West and end up tied with the NL East champion for home-field advantage in the NLDS. In that case, it’s good news for the Dodgers: they posted a 5-2 record against the Braves this season.

As for the Brewers, who currently have the pole position on the No. 1 Wild Card spot, it’s more good news for the Dodgers. Should Milwaukee and Los Angeles tie for the No. 1 Wild Card spot, the Dodgers would get homefield in that play-in game thanks to a 4-3 record against the Brewers.

However, if the Dodgers end in any sort of tie with the St. Louis Cardinals, a play-in game would take place at Busch Stadium.

Jeff Spiegel was raised in California but currently resides in Portland, Oregon. After graduating from the University of Oregon, he worked in sports before entering journalism full time — first as a Sports Reporter and then as the Associate Editor of a local newspaper. Online, he has been writing about both the Dodgers and Raiders since 2012 — having written for DodgersNation.com and SBNation.com prior to joining both DodgerBlue.com and RaidersNation.com. He left full-time journalism in 2012 to become a pastor. Jeff can be found on Twitter at @JeffSpiegel. Favorite Dodger I'm going past and present (sort of) on this one. Recently, I was a die hard Yasiel Puig guy. The energy he played with was amazing and the hope and expectation he brought every single night was captivating. Whether it was a rifle from the warning track to throw a guy out at second, an aggressive bat flip or licking his bat, I was here for ALL of the Yasiel Puig era. Past tense, I'd go with Eric Gagné. This wasn't so much about Gagné himself as it was the experience of cheering for him. Yes, he was on steroids — but the dude was unlike any pitcher I've ever seen — he was NASTY. I still stand by the claim that if I needed one out and my life depended on it, and could choose any pitcher from any era to get me that out, I'm taking roided up Gagné in a heartbeat. Favorite Dodger Moment A few jump to mind immediately. Being born in November of 1988, I missed the last World Series by weeks — which also meant I didn't get to see the Dodgers win a playoff game until I was nearly 16. They had made the playoffs in 1995 and 1996, but were swept both times. In 2004, though, I got to see them win behind a complete game shutout from Jose Lima, and that was pretty freaking special. The next in-person moment that came to mind was the Manny Ramirez bobblehead night pinch-hit grand slam from 2009. Vin Scully claimed it was the loudest he had heard Dodger Stadium in 20 years, and it's hard to disagree. As far as ones I didn't get to see live, I'll throw one more out there: the back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs that tied a game against the Padres in 2006 (plus the walk-off from Nomar Garciaparra in extra innings) was an all-timer. Obviously, the impending Dodgers World Series will quickly jump to the top of this list...