While the Los Angeles Dodgers have won a franchise-record five consecutive National League West titles, Tuesday night marked their first time clinching home-field advantage through the NL Championship Series during that stretch.
The Dodgers wrapped up the best record in the NL for the first time since 2009. “It’s very significant,” manager Dave Roberts said of his team’s latest accomplishment. “It’s a byproduct of us winning a lot of games, we’ve turned things around.
“At home, being in front of home fans in a particular series, more at home than away, it’s an advantage for us. Our next goal is to do that throughout the World Series.”
At 102-57, the Dodgers will reside as the only team to reach 100 wins this season at least until Thursday. Their 57-24 home record is tops in the Majors, while a 45-33 mark on the road is fourth-best overall and second in the NL.
“It’s huge. We’re obviously really good at home,” Corey Seager said of securing homefield throughout the NL playoffs. “Next step is to try and get home-field advantage throughout the entire postseason.”
The Dodgers currently lead the Cleveland Indians (99-59) by 2.5 games, and the Houston Astros (98-60) by 3.5 games. Their magic number to clinch the top record in baseball and home-field advantage in the World Series is one.
As it stands, the Dodgers will open the NL Division Series at home against the winner of the National League Wild Card Game on Friday, Oct. 1. Should Los Angeles advance to the second round, the NLCS would begin at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 14.
Tickets for the Dodgers’ potential NLDS and NLCS games sold out on the first day they were made available for purchase. The complete 2017 MLB postseason and World Series schedule can be viewed here.
