The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the 2022 National League West title, marking the ninth time in the past 10 years they have won the division. They accomplished the feat one night after securing a spot in the MLB postseason.
In wrapping up the NL West on Tuesday night in the 141st game of the season, the 2022 Dodgers became the fastest team to win the division since the franchise moved from Brooklyn. The Los Angeles franchise record previously belonged to the 2019 Dodgers that won the NL West in the 146th game of the year.
The 1955 Brooklyn team holds all-time Dodgers franchise record by clinching the pennant in 138 games.
Although the Dodgers had their streak of consecutive NL West titles snapped at eight by the San Francisco Giants in 2021, the franchise is in the midst of a historic stretch.
In 2016, the Dodgers became the first team in MLB history to win the NL West in four consecutive seasons since the Divisional Era began in 1969. That record ultimately was extended to eight in a row. Overall, the Dodgers’ streak trailed only the Atlanta Braves (14) and New York Yankees (nine) for most consecutive division titles since 1969.
Dave Roberts also set a manager record by guiding the Dodgers to an NL West title in each of his first five seasons helm. In 2019, he became the first manager in MLB history to lead his team to a division title in each of his first four full seasons.
Roberts previously joined Tommy Lasorda (1977) as the only rookie managers in Dodgers franchise history to oversee a team that won the division title.
At 98-43, the Dodgers are also on pace to break the franchise’s all-time wins record. The 2019 and 2021 teams share the mark at 106 wins. The 2022 club is on pace to win 111 games, and they would become the first team in MLB history to finish with more victories the season after posting 106 wins.
Dodgers postseason outlook
In clinching the NL West, the Dodgers moved one step closer to securing a bye in the expanded MLB postseason format as the top two division winners will not need to play a best-of-three Wild Card Series.
Furthermore, the Dodgers are on track to finish with the best record in baseball and secure home-field advantage through the World Series.
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