For division champion Dodgers, the bye in the first round of the MLB playoffs couldn’t have come at a better time

Before the season started, many wondered how good the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers could be. Not only did they add $700 million man Shohei Ohtani to a star-studded lineup, but with the additions of Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the rotation, it looked like LA was primed for a monstrous regular season.

Well, not everything has gone as planned for the Dodgers this season as they have dealt with injuries to everyone from Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman to Glasnow, Yamamoto and rookie Gavin Stone. And yet, despite the rollercoaster in the health department and a second-half surge by the San Diego Padres, the Dodgers clinched their 11th NL West title in the past 12 seasons on Thursday, taking two of three from San Diego.

Prior to this week’s series against the Padres, the Dodgers were in the midst of a very up-and-down September. They searched for answers to a litany of questions during their rotation, but they also just seemed flat. And after dropping the first game to San Diego on a game-ending triple play that clinched a postseason berth for the Padres, it looked like the Dodgers could be on the brink of a late-season collapse.

But all the Dodgers have been all year is resilient, so in reality, their return in Games 2 and 3 to win the series and clinch the division shouldn’t be that much of a surprise.

Now that they’ve clinched the division, the Dodgers have a chance this weekend to secure the top seed in the National League and the best record in the MLB, which would give them home field advantage throughout the postseason, provided they business against the lowly Rockies to end the season.

And while there has been some debate in recent years about the value of earning the No. 1 seed in the postseason, this Dodgers team may need the first round more than any other heading into October.

First, the five days off will give the Dodgers some time to decide how to deploy their rotation in the NLDS. The Dodgers will be without Glasnow, Stone or Clayton Kershaw, who, while still trying to return from bone spurs in his foot, is not healing as quickly as he or the team had hoped.

That leaves Jack Flaherty, whom the team acquired at the trade deadline, as the most likely starter for Game 1. After Flaherty, the questions begin. Which version of Yamamoto will we see? The Dodgers rookie pitched well in his first two outings since coming off the injured list due to a right shoulder strain, but he struggled in his most recent start against the Rockies and hasn’t gotten past four since returning innings. Still, he’s likely in line to throw Game 2 for LA

After that, it appears that longtime Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler will be the third starter. Buehler has had some inconsistencies since returning from his second Tommy John surgery, but he is trending in a positive direction, with a 3.31 ERA over his past three starts, including Thursday’s division win. Finally, as Tony Gonsolin made his third rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, he could be called up as a postseason option on the final weekend of the regular season, either in the rotation or out of the bullpen.

The extra days to get healthy will also be welcomed by the Dodgers’ lineup, which lost first baseman Freddie Freeman to a sprained ankle in Thursday’s series finale. Freeman told reporters after the game that he will not play the remaining games of the regular season, but that his goal is to be ready for Game 1 of the NLDS.

In addition, shortstop Miguel Rojas, who played a big role for the Dodgers this season, aggravated a left adductor injury against San Diego. An MRI subsequently revealed a tear that will reportedly require offseason surgery, but Rojas will try to play through it in the meantime. His ability to provide elite defense at shortstop and add some offense will be key for the Dodgers going forward.

When they’re firing on all cylinders, the Dodgers are as tough a team to beat as any. But the reality is that even though they are positioned to have the MLB’s best record, they are not out of the woods yet. While a young, red-hot team like the Tigers might lose momentum with a first-round bye, the Dodgers are a veteran team with plenty of postseason experience.

A few days to mentally reset while giving some key contributors time to heal is exactly what they need in October.