The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the cusp of clinching their 13th National League West title in 14 years, with their magic number now reduced to six following a decisive 14-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. The win positions the Dodgers to secure the division title during their upcoming seven-game road trip, which includes series in Miami and Cincinnati.
Despite the impending division title, the Dodgers will not have star Shohei Ohtani with them on the trip, as he is set to be placed on the 15-day injured list. Ohtani has not played in six of the last seven games. Meanwhile, Freddie Freeman was sidelined for Wednesday's game due to a sore knee, though the team managed a significant win without him.
Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered a strong performance, limiting the Reds to one run and three hits over seven innings, striking out 10 batters. The Dodgers' offense also had a powerful showing, with Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández, and Kyle Tucker all hitting home runs. Hernández drove in a team-high four runs, while Teoscar Hernández continued his recent hot streak with three RBIs. Betts and Tucker each recorded three hits in the game.
Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the team's offensive strength, highlighting the recent performances of Betts and Tucker. The Dodgers entered Wednesday's game on a seven-game winning streak and hold an 11-game lead over the second-place San Diego Padres, with whom they own the tiebreaker. They also have a 11 ½-game advantage over the third-place Arizona Diamondbacks.