Shohei Ohtani.
EL NUEVO DIARIO, MIAMI — After spending more than $1 billion on contracts during the offseason, the Dodgers entered the 2024 season with World Series aspirations. On Thursday afternoon, they took the first step toward achieving their ultimate goal.
Los Angeles became the fourth team to clinch a spot in the 2024 postseason after defeating Miami 20-4 in the deciding game at loanDepot Park. It is the 12th consecutive season the Dodgers have made the postseason, extending the longest streak in franchise history.
Los Angeles still has its sights set on winning its 11th NL West title in 12 seasons. The Dodgers hold a four-game lead over the Padres with just nine games remaining in the regular season. The two teams have a three-game series scheduled at Dodger Stadium beginning Tuesday.
The Dodgers, as has been the case for most of the season, were led by a monster offensive game from Shohei Ohtani, who hit three home runs and stole two bases to become the first player in major league history with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
Ohtani, who went 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs in his first career six-hit game, put the Dodgers on the board in the first inning with a double and promptly stole third base. He then scored on Will Smith’s sacrifice fly.
The two-way superstar was just getting his engines going, though, as Ohtani hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and then a three-run shot to the opposite field to reach the historic 50-50 mark. He added another three-run shot in the ninth for his 51st homer.
In his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani has already accomplished his goal of earning a postseason berth for the first time in his already illustrious career. He snapped a career streak of 865 games without earning a postseason berth, which was the longest of any active player in the major leagues.
As a team, Los Angeles had to overcome a lot of adversity to get to this point. The Dodgers were plagued by injuries all season: Mookie Betts missed significant time with a fractured left hand, Max Muncy missed months with an oblique injury, and pitchers Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone, and Clayton Kershaw are all currently on the injured list.
Glasnow and Stone, two of their best pitchers, are out for the season.
But despite all the significant injuries, the Dodgers have had enough firepower to stay near the top of the National League. The midseason acquisitions of Michael Kopech, Jack Flaherty and Tommy Edman also played a big role in the team’s success.
The Dodgers have a long way to go to achieve their goal of winning their first World Series in a full season since 1988. They believe they have the talent to do it. Their path to getting there took a significant step forward on Thursday.