Dodgers win 12th NL West title in 13 years. Now, it's World Series or bust

The Los Angeles Dodgers have clinched a 12th NL West Division crown in the last 13 seasons with an 8-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, Sept. 25.

Starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto continued to impress on the mound in the win, hurling six shutout innings. Yamamoto has allowed one run or fewer in his last five starts. And, on Thursday, he got some run support (he entered the day having allowed just two runs in his previous three starts, but the Dodgers lost two of those games). Freddie Freeman hit two home runs and Shohei Ohtani hit his 54th of the season, matching his career-high home run total from 2024.

The defending World Series champion Dodgers will appear in the postseason for a 13th consecutive year, tied for the second-longest playoff streak in Major League Baseball history with the New York Yankees (1995-2007) and behind the 14 straight playoff seasons of the Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 2005.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2019 NLDS Game 5: Kershaw pitched in relief and blew a two-run lead in the eighth inning of the winner-take-all game against the Nationals.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2019 NLDS Game 5: Kershaw pitched in relief and blew a two-run lead in the eighth inning of the winner-take-all game against the Nationals.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2014 NLDS Game 4: Kershaw took a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning, but Matt Adams’ three-run homer proved to be the winner for the Cardinals.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2017 World Series Game 4: Kershaw gave up six runs in 4.2 innings to start the Dodgers’ extra-inning loss in Houston

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2022 NLDS Game 2: Kershaw gave up three runs in five innings and got a no-decision in LA’s loss to the Padres.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2016 NLDS Game 4: Kershaw gave up five runs in 6.2 innings against the Nationals.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2019 NLDS Game 5: Kershaw came in to pitch the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead and gave up back-to-back home runs to start the frame in the eventual extra-inning loss against the Nationals.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2014 NLDS Game 1: Kershaw gave up eight runs and took the loss against the Cardinals.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2017 World Series Game 4: Kershaw gave up six runs in 4.2 innings to start the Dodgers’ extra-inning loss in Houston

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2009 NLCS Game 5: Kershaw pitched two innings in relief against the Phillies, giving up Shane Victorino’s home run.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2018 NLCS Game 1: Kershaw took the loss against the Brewers, surrendering four earned runs in three innings, including a home run by pitcher Brandon Woodruff

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2023 NLDS Game 1: Kershaw only recorded one out against the Diamondbacks, getting shelled for six runs on six hits in the first inning.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2018 World Series Game 5: Kershaw took the loss in the Red Sox’s title clincher, giving up five runs on three home runs in seven innings at Dodger Stadium.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2014 NLDS Game 4: Kershaw took the loss in the deciding game against the Cardinals.

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14 most devastating Clayton Kershaw MLB postseason photos

2016 NLDS Game 4: Kershaw gave up five runs in 6.2 innings against the Nationals.

Just making the playoffs isn’t enough of an accomplishment for the Dodgers, who boast the league’s second-highest payroll (though the team’s 2025 number is a bit misleading due to deferred contracts, particularly that of Ohtani).

The intention of this team is to repeat as World Series champions, which hasn’t been done since the Yankees won three straight World Series from 1998 to 2000.

In the offseason, the Dodgers reloaded for another title run. Two-time Cy Young Award-winner Blake Snell was signed to a five-year, $182 million contract. The team thought it had bolstered the bullpen with the additions of Tanner Scott (four years, $72 million) and Kirby Yates (one year, $13 million) and left-handed pop to the outfield with the signing of Michael Conforto (one year, $17 million). Instead, Snell missed nearly four months with shoulder inflammation. Scott has a league-leading 10 blown saves. Yates has posted a 5.23 ERA, up from the 1.17 ERA he had as an All-Star with the Texas Rangers in 2024. Conforto has been in a season-long battle with the “Mendoza Line.”

The team’s title defense season didn’t turn out to be the tour de force juggernaut that was expected back in March. Instead, the plucky Milwaukee Brewers have the best record in the National League and the Philadelphia Phillies have secured at least the NL’s No. 2 playoff seed, relegating the Dodgers to the best-of-three wild-card round.

MLB PLAYOFF BRACKET: Wild card standings, 2025 AL and NL division leaders

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