The bad news is that the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park on Tuesday night to maintain their 2.5-game lead over the Dodgers in the National League West with only 17 and 16 regular-season games left to play, respectively.

The good news – and make no mistake about it, it is very good news – is that with the Padres loss and losses by the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, the Dodgers have clinched a berth into the 2021 postseason, albeit as a Wild Card team (for now), for a franchise record-setting ninth consecutive season.

“It’s part of a step toward accomplishing our goal for 2021, to win the World Series,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters during his postgame Zoom presser following his team’s 8-4 pounding of the Arizona Diamondbacks in front of 44,630 at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. “To get an invitation to the dance, to the postseason, that’s the start of it. It’s quite the accomplishment.”

But with their eye on the prize of catching – and passing – the Giants to win their ninth consecutive division title, which is diminishing with every Giants win (they’ve won nine straight), did Roberts and his team actually celebrate?

“We did a little champagne toast, said a few words, and acknowledged the fact that it’s a big accomplishment,” Roberts told reporters following his team’s 8-4 pounding of the Arizona Diamondbacks in front of 44,630 at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. “You don’t ever want to get jaded and not appreciate getting to the postseason. It’s not a rite of passage.”

“We enjoyed the moment,” added Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, who earlier in the day had been named as the Dodgers nominee for the prestigious annual Roberto Clemente Award. “At the same time, we still know there’s a lot of work ahead of us and a lot to be accomplished.”

A lot of work.

…but you’ve got to get to the postseason before you can win the postseason.

Play Ball!

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