The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading back to the playoffs following a series-opening win against the Cincinnati Reds.
For the 14th consecutive year, the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to play baseball in October. That mark ties an MLB record and lowers the magic number to secure another National League title to three games.
Thanks to a dominant performance on the mound from southpaw Tarik Skubal, the Dodgers punched their ticket for a postseason spot following a 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the series opener of a four-game set.
Skubal toed the rubber at Great American Ball Park, coming off a start last time out against those same Reds. Though the venue was Dodger Stadium, he reached the eighth inning for the first time as a member of the Dodgers in a 3-2 win, striking out five Reds across 7.1 innings.
Sep 14, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectSkubal matched that and then some, going seven scoreless innings and striking out nine on Monday for his fifth straight victory on the bump. He picked up seven of the nine strikeouts on his fastball and generated a 33% whiff rate.
Though the Dodgers had just three hits all around the board, the continued emergence of Kyle Tucker stood out in the win. His solo shot in the top of the second marked his second one-hit of the road trip and his fourth overall in his last 10 games.
Across this last week, Tucker has a batting average above .300 and has brought up his OPS above .700.
Along with Tucker, Teoscar Hernández joined him in the home run club with an opposite-field two-run shot for a 3-0 lead in the fourth. Kiké Hernández capped off the scoring with an RBI single in the seventh.
Sep 14, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Los AngelesDodgersoutfielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) high fives teammates after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect.The Reds were able to drive in a single run in the ninth, but it came with some fireworks from a familiar face. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Elly De La Cruz took Evan Phillips deep for a home run that registered 457 feet to right-center field.
With a bat speed of 114.1 on the home run, De La Cruz hit the farthest home run not only at his home ballpark this season, but also hit the farthest home run at Dodger Stadium on September 9 with a 444-foot shot to the center field pavilion.
With the win, the Dodgers improve to 91-59 and join the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays as the only teams to secure their spots.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto goes for the Dodgers on Tuesday against Reds righty Rhett Lowder.
