The Los Angeles Dodgers magic number sits at 16 after Sunday’s game with the Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers lost 7-6 thanks to a late-inning homer by former Dodgers star Matt Kemp. This week has been a roller coaster ride for the Dodgers. They lost their first series of the year Sunday, which was likely inevitable. However, Clayton Kershaw also passed the 2,500 strikeout threshold on his way to the top of the Dodgers all-time record. The great Don Sutton currently holds that spot with 2,696, but Kershaw is quickly gaining. With 2,505 strikeouts so far, Kershaw will likely take over the number one spot next year. Although he finds himself second of all-time in strikeouts, Kershaw ranks only 11th in innings pitched with 2,310. Sandy Koufax is still ahead of Kershaw by 13 IP, so barring any injury, Kershaw will see himself in the 10-spot before the end of this year.
Dodgers Magic Number
The magic number is a focal point as the regular season’s end draws near, but many do not know what it is, exactly. So, a discussion is warranted on this magical topic. The magic number is made up of two parts working in conjunction. That is, first, the number of remaining games that the first-place team needs to win order to clinch the division. So, every game the first-place team wins reduces the magic number by one. Also, every game that the second-place team loses reduces the number by one. Explaining it gets a little convoluted, so the example of the NL West is much simpler.
The San Diego Padres are in second place in the NL West with a record of 25-17. The Dodgers are in first at 30-12. With 40 games played, there are 20 games remaining this season. If the Padres win all of them, then their record would be 45-17. Therefore, the Dodgers would need to win 46 games to guarantee them winning the West outright. That would take 16 games, hence, the Dodgers magic number is 16. Every game that the Padres fall short of winning all remaining games makes one less game that the Dodgers have to win. Conversely, every game that the Dodgers win eliminates the possibility for the Padres to move closer in the standings, so that win also reduces the number. Every Dodger win reduces the magic number; every Padres loss reduces the number.
Conclusion
This has been a wild, injury-filled season amplified by the intrinsic sense of urgency that accompanies a short season. There have been many surprises, both good and bad. Most people are not surprised by the Dodgers having the best record in baseball. A lot are surprised about the success of some of the other teams. The Tampa Bay Rays, Oakland Athletics, and Chicago White Sox are leading their divisions. This is a surprising twist. And the Wild Card slots are looking to be very tight races between several teams. On the NL side of things, it is the Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs leading their divisions, with the Padres having the second-most wins across the entire NL. There are several surprises in there, making for the potential of a very exciting postseason. There is still a lot of baseball between now and then, so we will see how it shakes out after 20 more games. Stay tuned.
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