Dodgers face a pivotal end to the season, weighing the value of a five-day bye against the momentum of three crucial Phillies games. The plan could rest Will Smith and tune the rotation for October, but it also risks timing disruption for hitters. A Padres surge adds urgency as NL West standings tighten and wild-card implications loom, with past finales offering a cautionary tale about scheduling and playoff paths.

Beyond the Dodgers, the Phillies hold a lead in their division, while the Padres loom 2.5 games back. If the West shifts on the final days, the path to the NLCS could hinge on who earns home-field in the wild-card round and how best to deploy top arms. Historical echoes from 1996 underscore the tension of final-day decisions and postseason exposure.

Philadelphia clinches a playoff berth thanks to Dodgers’ big win over San Francisco, vaulting them into a guaranteed spot even as they chase the NL’s No. 2 seed. With Zack Wheeler sidelined, Jose Alvarado suspended for playoffs, and Trea Turner and Alec Bohm dealing with injuries, the Phillies’ path to rest-of-season success hinges on depth and timely performances as they head into a pivotal series with Los Angeles.

Milwaukee had already punched their ticket, while the Dodgers, Cubs, Tigers and Blue Jays remain in prime position to join the field this week, reshaping fantasy rosters and betting angles as the postseason picture crystallizes.

Shohei Ohtani surged to the majors’ run-scoring lead with 135 runs, breaking his own Dodgers single-season mark and sprinting toward a pace that could top 147 with 13 games left. A ninth-inning score in San Francisco highlighted a Dodgers 10-2 win, while his 19-game on-base streak hints at sustained fantasy upside. The piece situates this season’s chase among Dodgers legends and early-era sluggers, framing Ohtani as a historic, fantasy-relevant driver of runs in 2025.