For the 14th straight year, the Dodgers are postseason-bound.
Winners of three of the past six World Series, the Dodgers are looking to continue their reign. The back-to-back defending champions are bidding for the Major Leagues' first three-peat since the Yankees won three straight titles from 1998-2000.
There are plenty of storylines to follow down the stretch. Chief among them is the ever-evolving status of Shohei Ohtani, who is on the 15-day IL due to lingering injuries to his left knee and right biceps.
Here's what to watch as the Dodgers forge their path back to the Fall Classic:
What could the postseason roster look like?
The makeup of the pitching staff may hinge on whether the Dodgers are able to secure a first-round bye and advance directly to the NL Division Series. Either way, the strength of the staff is the rotation, so expect them to carry more starters than they need and get creative with using some of them in relief.
It may be premature to pencil in Josue De Paula, as the organization’s top prospect is fresh off making his big league debut. But the Dodgers lack a lefty impact bat on the bench, and he could feasibly claim that role in the final weeks of the regular season.
Catchers (2): Will Smith, Hunter Feduccia
First baseman (1): Freddie Freeman
Second baseman (1): Tommy Edman
Shortstop (1): Mookie Betts
Third baseman (1): Max Muncy
Outfielders (3): Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Kyle Tucker
Utility/bench (3): Kiké Hernández, Miguel Rojas, Josue De Paula
Two-way player (1): Shohei Ohtani
Starters (4): Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow
Relievers (9): Edwin Díaz, Tanner Scott, Edgardo Henriquez, Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips, Roki Sasaki, Justin Wrobleski, Jack Dreyer, Brock Stewart
When does the postseason begin?
The NL Wild Card Series begin Sept. 29. The NL Division Series begin Oct. 3.
What's left for the Dodgers to play for?
The Dodgers are still looking to clinch their 13th NL West title in the past 14 seasons. They are also in play for one of the top two records in the National League, which would allow them to bypass the Wild Card round.
What will the postseason rotation look like?
Yamamoto, Skubal, Snell and Glasnow make up this year's Big Four. The rotation order is yet to be determined. One consideration is that Yamamoto is accustomed to starting on at least five days' rest, whereas the other three are comfortable starting on four days' rest. Of course, rest did not matter for Yamamoto in last year's World Series, when he pitched on zero days' rest to close out Game 7 and clinch series MVP honors.
What's the latest on Ohtani's status?
Ohtani's IL stint was backdated to Sept. 8, meaning that he will be eligible to be activated on Sept. 23. That would give him five regular-season games to get his bat up to speed for the postseason. After a few days of being shut down from swinging, Ohtani was set to resume swinging during the week of Sept. 14, with the hope that he progresses to facing live pitching before he's activated the following week.
Which injured players could return?
Freeman is not on the IL, but the Dodgers have worked in more rest than usual for the star first baseman as he deals with patellar tendinitis in his right knee. The hope is that by managing the injury now, it will be a minimal issue in the postseason.
In addition to Ohtani, the Dodgers are expecting to get Díaz (neck inflammation), Sasaki (right middle finger blister) and Pages (left hand fracture) back before the end of the regular season. Deadline acquisition Kris Bubic (left shoulder soreness) could return from the IL as soon as Wednesday. Dalton Rushing (right elbow discomfort) could also return, but he would strictly be used as a hitter, not as a catcher.
The Dodgers hope that Henriquez, who has emerged as an important leverage arm, can return for the postseason after his regular season came to a premature end due to lower back discomfort. But the team will have a better idea of his availability after Henriquez undergoes imaging on his back and side.
Which roster spots may be up for grabs?
The final spot on the bench is far from set in stone. The Dodgers could carry De Paula, but Rushing and Alex Call are additional options. This decision could come down to whether they want to use that bench spot on a potential impact bat or someone who brings enhanced speed and/or defense to the table.
The bullpen should also have some openings, aside from the trust tree of leverage arms: Scott, Henriquez, Phillips, Dreyer, Stewart and Vesia. If Henriquez does not recover in time for the postseason, that opens an additional spot. Wrobleski and Sasaki have been starters for most of the season, but they will be relief options in the postseason. But Wrobleski has struggled lately, and the Dodgers will have to see how Sasaki looks when he returns from the IL. Bubic could pitch his way into the postseason 'pen.
Who will close out games?
Díaz was supposed to resolve the Dodgers' ninth-inning troubles, but he has only added to them in his first year in L.A. He will be used in lower leverage to get his feet under him when he returns from the IL, but if he doesn't show improvement, it's possible that he could be left off the postseason roster altogether. The Dodgers may be more likely to play the matchups instead of going with a set closer in the postseason. Based on regular-season performance, Scott and Henriquez are two of the top options to pitch in save situations.