2024 MLB Playoff Picture: Dodgers Clinch NL West; Updated Bracket, Rankings | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the NL West for the 11th time in 12 years after Thursday's 7-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers' work isn't done in the regular season. They have a one-game home-field advantage over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL postseason.

Philadelphia won five of six meetings between the two clubs this season. So if they finish with identical records, the Phillies would get the tiebreaker.

The Dodgers will play three games against the Colorado Rockies in Denver this weekend, while the Phillies travel to Washington DC for a series with the Nationals.

LA won the West from 2013 to 2020. A 107-win season by the San Francisco Giants prevented the 106-win Dodgers from securing the division in 2021.

Now the Dodgers are seeking their 25th NL pennant, their eighth World Series title and their first since 2020.

Here's a look at the current playoff matchups and lineup if the season ended today, as well as the current standings.

Projected MLB playoff series

• AL Wild Card Series: No. 3 Houston Astros vs. No. 6 Kansas City Royals; No. 4 Baltimore Orioles vs. No. 5 Detroit Tigers
• NL Wild Card Series: No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks; No. 4 San Diego Padres vs. No. 5 New York Mets
• First-round byes: No. 1 New York Yankees and No. 2 Cleveland Guardians (American League); No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers and No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies (National League)

1. New York Yankees (93-66); Division decided
2. Baltimore Orioles (88-71, 5GB); secured the playoff spot
3. Boston Red Sox (80-79, 13GB)
4. Tampa Bay Rays (78-81, 15GB)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (74-85, 19GB)

1. Cleveland Guardians (92-67); Division decided
2. Kansas City Royals (85-74, 7GB)
3. Detroit Tigers (85-74, 7GB)
4. Minnesota Twins (82-77, 10GB)
5. Chicago White Sox (39-120, 53GB)

1. Houston Astros (86-73); Division decided
2. Seattle Mariners (82-77, 4GB)
3. Texas Rangers (75-84, 11GB)
4. Oakland Athletics (69-90, 17 GB)
5. Los Angeles Angels (63-96, 23GB)

1. Philadelphia Phillies (94-65); Division decided
2. New York Mets (87-70, 6GB)
3. Atlanta Braves (86-71, 7GB)
4. Washington Nationals (69-90, 25GB)
5. Miami Marlins (59-100, 35GB)

1. Milwaukee Brewers (91-68); Division decided
2. St. Louis Cardinals (81-78, 10GB)
3. Chicago Cubs (81-78, 10GB)
4. Cincinnati Reds (76-83, 15GB)
5. Pittsburgh Pirates (74-85, 17GB)

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (95-64); Division decided
2. San Diego Padres (91-68, 4GB); secured the playoff spot
3. Arizona Diamondbacks (88-71, 4GB)
4. San Francisco Giants (79-80, 16GB)
5. Colorado Rockies (61-98, 34GB)

The Dodgers entered the regular season as clear World Series favorites after acquiring generational talent Shohei Ohtani via free agency. But LA also bolstered its pitching staff, trading away Tampa Bay Rays starter Tyler Glasnow and adding Japanese professional baseball star Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Ohtani did everything advertised and then some en route to an assured third MVP award. He became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 or more home runs and 50 or more stolen bases in the same season.

He was the catalyst for the Dodgers' success in a season in which numerous players ended up on the injured list. Mookie Betts missed two months with a broken left hand, and Max Muncy missed three months with a strained oblique arm.

Gavin Stone is likely out this year with shoulder soreness, and Walker Buehler is out due to Tommy John surgery and a subsequent right hip injury.

The key pitching constants this season have been out of the bullpen. In particular, Alex Vesia, Daniel Hudson and Blake Treinen have done quite well, helping LA form one of the best relievers in the bigs.

Despite the rotating pitching crew, the batting staff still performed exceptionally well. Ohtani is having another great year, but Will Smith, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández and Mookie Betts all made the All-Star Game. They have all been catalysts for a potent offense that ranks second in the National League in OPS and No. 1 in home runs.

Ultimately, despite the pitching concerns, the Dodgers appear to be powerhouses heading into the playoffs once again. They could very well claw their way to another World Series, led by playoff newcomer Ohtani. LA has struggled in the past despite coming into the playoffs as favorites, but this year could well be different with a generational talent on board.