Dodgers Clinch NL West With 8-2 Win Over Reds
Anthony Arroyo
Host · Writer
CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers officially clinched the National League West Division on Thursday, defeating the Cincinnati Reds 8-2 in their series finale and securing their 14th consecutive playoff appearance.
The victory also provided several positive developments for the Dodgers as they move closer to October, including a strong outing from Justin Wrobleski, another encouraging performance from Kyle Tucker and a productive afternoon for rookie Josue De Paula.
Wrobleski was scheduled to take the mound after coming out of the bullpen in his last outing against the Miami Marlins on Sept. 12. Earlier this month, the Dodgers moved him to the bullpen to help manage his workload after he reached a career high in innings pitched this season as the team prepares for the postseason.
Wrobleski was extremely effective during the Dodgers' 2025 World Series run out of the bullpen, and the Dodgers hope he can provide a similar impact this season as they prepare him for a comparable role heading into the later weeks of the season.
The Dodgers jumped out to a commanding lead early. Tucker launched a two-run homer in the first inning, and Freddie Freeman followed with a sacrifice fly in the second. Tucker then added an RBI double, giving the Dodgers a 4-0 advantage.
Los Angeles continued to add to its lead in the fourth inning. Max Muncy hit a two-RBI double before De Paula followed with an RBI single.
For De Paula, it was his third hit as a Dodger since making his MLB debut. The hit came at a good time after the rookie had run into some struggles at the plate.
Some inconsistency is normal for a rookie trying to navigate Major League pitching, but seeing De Paula work through those struggles and begin to get things going offensively would be a positive development for the Dodgers.
Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes were also in attendance. De Paula is notably the first player in the Friedman era to be called up directly from Double-A, making his development at the Major League level an important one for the Dodgers' brass to watch.
Wrobleski then completed a very strong outing. He looked extremely effective while keeping his pitch count remarkably low, throwing just 32 pitches. With the Dodgers recently moving him to the bullpen, they opted not to extend his outing despite what was essentially a bullpen game.
Wrobleski finished after three innings, striking out three batters without allowing a hit or a walk.
The Dodgers then turned to Blake Treinen. His appearance initially looked efficient, but Sal Stewart got the Reds on the board with a solo homer to right field.
The standout performance, however, came from Tucker.
His season as a whole has not been great, but Thursday provided an encouraging sign that he could be getting going at the right time for the Dodgers, who are now approaching October.
Tucker went 4-for-5, hitting a homer, double and single. He came up again in the eighth inning with a chance to complete the cycle, but his gap shot ultimately resulted in another double.
Landon Knack followed Treinen and ate a bulk of the innings, pitching three innings while allowing three hits and striking out one batter.
Miguel Rojas later added a solo homer in the ninth inning to cap the Dodgers' scoring.
The Dodgers' 8-2 victory ultimately meant more than simply getting back on track after Wednesday's loss. It secured the NL West and extended the franchise's streak of consecutive playoff appearances to 14.
That ties the all-time record previously held only by the Atlanta Braves from 1991-2005.
The Dodgers will resume play Friday when they open a three-game set against the San Francisco Giants. Tyler Glasnow (4-1, 3.50 ERA) is slated to take the mound, while Cesar Perdomo (0-1, 3.68 ERA) will be on the opposite side for the Giants.
