The Dodgers Just Made History. They Barely Blinked.
By Morgan Davis · Tue Sep 15 2026
A toast, a move on, and a record tied. The Dodgers are built differently. LA Punches Its Ticket, Ties an Untouchable Record Monday night at Great American Ball Park, the Los Angeles Dodgers did something only one other franchise in baseball history has done. They clinched their 14th consecutive postseason appearance, matching the Atlanta Braves' 1991–2005 dynasty run. The celebration was brief. The focus has already shifted. A 4–1 win over Cincinnati gave the Dodgers the moment, but the postgame mood reflected the organization's mindset. No champagne soaking. A toast, some handshakes, and back to work. Manager Dave Roberts said it plainly: "The message was, 'We haven't come close to playing our best baseball yet.'" Twelve games remain. The magic number for a fifth straight NL West title sits at three. The Dodgers are 91–59 and locked in. Skubal Continues His Dominance in Blue Tarik Skubal was every bit the ace the Dodgers traded for. He worked seven scoreless innings, scattered three singles, walked one, and struck out nine. It was his first outing of at least seven frames without a run allowed since joining Los Angeles. He improved to 10–7 on the season. What stood out Monday was the fastball. Skubal leaned on it heavily, and it delivered. Seven of his nine strikeouts came on the four-seamer, a pitch that already carries some of the best whiff numbers in the game. Against a Cincinnati lineup with nothing to gain from patience, he attacked early and often. Context matters here. This was Skubal's second start against the Reds in seven days. Across those two outings combined, he threw 14⅓ innings, surrendered two runs, and punched out 14. Cincinnati simply had no answer for him. The Trade That Reshaped the Rotation The Dodgers acquired Skubal from Detroit on August 2, sending outfielder Zyhir Hope and pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith to the Tigers. At the time, Skubal had posted a 2.79 ERA in 96⅔ innings with 116 strikeouts. He had also missed time in early May for a procedure to remove a loose body from his elbow before returning to make nine more starts in Detroit. Since arriving in Los Angeles, he has been what the Dodgers needed him to be. His overall 2026 line now reads 2.84 ERA across 139⅔ innings with 164 strikeouts and just 24 walks. The walk rate matters. Skubal's ability to attack the zone without giving in is what separates him. His ball rate ranks among the lowest in baseball, and he continues to throw his changeup, arguably the best pitch in the game by run value, as a true out pitch rather than a pace-change afterthought. The two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner has given this rotation a genuine frontline arm for October. His quote after Monday's clincher said everything about how he has assimilated into this club: "It's different than anything I've experienced, for sure. But I think it just speaks to the people in this room and what they expect out of this team. That was cool. A little toast and move on. Forget it happened. We've got more to accomplish." Tucker and Hernández Provide the Offense The Dodgers needed two swings to build all the cushion Skubal required. Kyle Tucker led off the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning off Nick Lodolo, his 15th of the season and third in five games. Tucker walked in the fourth and came around to score on Teoscar Hernández's two-run shot to right-center, Hernández's 14th of the year. Kiké Hernández added an RBI single in the seventh. Cincinnati did not score until the ninth, by which point the game was settled. Tucker's Complicated Season Tucker's performance Monday was encouraging, but his 2026 résumé as a whole has been a problem the Dodgers cannot ignore. He signed a four-year, $240 million contract this past offseason, making him one of the largest investments in the organization. The returns have not come close to matching the investment. He entered the Cincinnati game hitting .226/.326/.375 with a .692 OPS Over a recent 26-game stretch before September 11, he was hitting .116 By FanGraphs WAR, he had been below replacement level since the All-Star break His .686 OPS entering September was tracking as the worst of his career The September 11 grand slam and Monday's homer offer some hope that Tucker is finding his footing late. At 29, the physical tools are still there. The questions are about consistency and whether the second half surge is real or a small-sample mirage. The Dodgers need him functional in October. Right now, that remains an open question. What Comes Next Fourteen straight. No team in the modern era has done it longer. The Dodgers' streak dates to 2013, and they have built it through front office depth, player development, and a willingness to spend when the moment calls for it. The Skubal acquisition is the latest example. Roberts mentioned the value of a potential postseason bye, both for player health and roster management. With 12 games left and a three-game cushion for the division title, LA controls its own fate. The goal now is not just getting in. It is getting right. A little toast. Move on. More to accomplish.