August 21st, 2019 at 12:00 pm 
by 0799291000348 Remember the days when the regular season was winding down and Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully would tell fans what the ‘magic number’ was for clinching the pennant or a playoff spot? Typically, it was not mentioned until after Labor Day when the dog-days of Summer were giving way to the first signs of Fall colors and cooler temperatures in the North East.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
But this season is atypical for the Dodgers as they have built (as of this writing) a 19-game lead in the National League West and Labor Day is still two weeks away.
The Dodgers have 35 regular-season games remaining, which means they will clinch their seventh consecutive NL West title with any combination of Dodgers wins and/or Arizona Diamondback losses totaling 19 (19.5 for the San Francisco Giants). Vinny would tell us this number only to emphasize the Dodgers total domination of their division this season, not as a target with which to be concerned.
But there’s another magic number that the Dodgers must concern themselves with – 25; the number of postseason roster spots available for each playoff series. Barring injury, 18-players seem certain to be the core of the Dodgers postseason roster through the World Series:
Pitchers:
- Pedro Baez
- Walker Buehler
- Kenley Jansen
- Joe Kelly
- Clayton Kershaw
- Kenta Maeda
- Hyun-Jin Ryu
- Julio Urias
Catchers:
- Russell Martin
- Will Smith
Infielders:
- Kiké Hernandez
- Max Muncy
- Justin Turner
- Corey Seager
Outfielders:
- Cody Bellinger (who can also play first base)
- Joc Pederson
- A.J. Pollock
- Alex Verdugo
Another roster spot will go to Rich Hill if his left arm flexor tendon will allow him to pitch.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
The Dodgers will likely carry 12 pitchers on their postseason roster, so there are four spots yet to be decided (three if Hill is available) from right-handers JT Chargois, Dylan Floro, Yimi Garcia, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, Casey Sadler, Ross Stripling (if healthy), and left-handers Caleb Ferguson, or Adam Kolarek.
The Dodgers opponent in each round of the playoffs will determine which pitchers make the roster. A tough call, but my guess, Hill will be healthy enough to pitch as a reliever, Kolarek will be the situational left-hander, and Tony Gonsolin will be the long-man. Pitching performances over the final six weeks of the season will determine whether Caleb Ferguson, Dylan Floro, Yimi Garcia, or Dustin May gets the last spot.
That leaves room on the roster for three position players from the group of Matt Beaty, David Freese (if healthy), Jedd Gyorko, Kristopher Negrón, Chris Taylor. My guess, Beaty, Gyorko, and Taylor make the roster.
What a great feeling to be considering these ‘magic numbers’ on August 20 … before Fall has fell.
Go Dodgers!
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Posted in 
The magic number to clinch the division before tonight’s second game with the Blue Jays is as follows: Arizona and San Francisco is 17 San Diego 13 who lost today and Colorado 11
Thank you Andy.
My pleasure
Chris Taylor is making the postseason roster. There is no doubt about it. He would make it before Kike. Beaty is making it too. The last spot will be either Freese or Gyorko. You can scratch Floro, Yimi, and Shaggy off of consideration.
Agree with your post. Kenley needs to be a 7th or 8th inning set up guy. Days of being a closer have passed him by. Kelly should be the new closer. It may be sad to say, but I trust Baez in a closer’s role more than Jansen.
I agree with you 100%, It’s sad after all these years, but true.
As weird as it sounds, I’m not certain that Kenley should be on the playoff roster. Ask yourself this; in what situation would you trust him? I do realize that he will be on the roster but ????????????
The above comments about not trusting Jansen reinforce the decision not to “sell the farm” for Vazquez or some other elite reliever.
I agree it’s getting harder and harder to trust Jansen, but we should all know the Dodgers were going with Jansen as their closer this year under almost all circumstances. Even if we had acquired Vazquez, Dodgers would most likely have continued to use Jansen as the closer, limiting Vazquez’s value in the post season.
What we see is what we’re going to get. Hope Jansen can get it together come playoff time.
Magic number at 15 at the start of baseball games today August 22.
Yes indeed. 1 game remaining with Toronto, then 3 each with Yankees, Padres, and Dbacks. Very possible for Dodgers to clinch the NL West before Sept. 1
August 23 and the Magic Number is 14! GO DODGERS!