ESPN baseball insider Buster Olney highlighted a growing concern for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, pointing to their recent struggles and the potential postseason consequences of slipping in the National League standings.
“You do not want to be the No. 3 seed in the National League and then have that extra round of playoffs,” Olney said during a SportsCenter segment analyzing the two-time defending World Series champions’ form.
The Dodgers entered the week having lost 11 of their previous 16 games, falling three games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the National League. A graphic accompanying Olney’s comments showed Los Angeles at 5-11 since July 31, averaging just 3.4 runs per game (ranked 25th in MLB) with a 4.39 ERA (19th).
That skid has tightened the race for the top seeds even as the Dodgers maintain a comfortable lead in the NL West. The Brewers held the league’s best mark at 77-48, while the Atlanta Braves sat close behind the Dodgers in the overall NL standings.
Under MLB’s postseason format, the two division winners with the best records in each league earn byes into the Division Series. The third division winner must play in the best-of-three Wild Card Series, adding an extra round that can increase the risk of an early exit and disrupt pitching plans.
Olney’s warning underscored why the Dodgers’ midseason malaise carries weight beyond the regular-season win-loss column. Los Angeles remains heavily favored to claim the NL West title, holding an eight-game lead over the San Diego Padres, but the difference between the No. 2 and No. 3 overall seeds could prove decisive in October.
The team’s offense has been particularly inconsistent during the downturn, ranking near the bottom of the majors in run production over the recent stretch. Pitching has also shown cracks, with the staff’s ERA climbing into the middle of the pack after ranking among the league’s best earlier in the season.
Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the stakes after the Dodgers dropped three of four games to the Brewers over the weekend.
“I really wanted to win this game because it could matter,” Roberts said following a 6-2 loss on Sunday. “But we didn’t, so now we got to move forward. I hope it doesn’t come back to bite us.”
The Dodgers responded with an 11-5 victory at Colorado on Monday night, powered by two home runs from Shohei Ohtani and a strong outing from Blake Snell. The win improved their record to 75-51 and kept them within striking distance of Milwaukee.
Still, the broader trend has raised questions about whether Los Angeles can regain the consistency that carried it to consecutive titles. The Dodgers have dealt with injuries and uneven performances from key contributors, factors that have contributed to the recent slide.
Seeding remains fluid with roughly six weeks left in the regular season. The Brewers have maintained a strong pace throughout 2026, while the Braves continue to challenge in the NL East. Any further struggles by the Dodgers could force them into the Wild Card round as the No. 3 seed.
Olney’s assessment reflects a wider view among baseball observers that the extra series presents additional hurdles. Teams entering the postseason with a bye gain valuable rest and the ability to line up their rotations more favorably for the Division Series.
For a Dodgers club built for deep October runs, avoiding that extra round has become a priority. The recent results have made the path to one of the top two seeds more complicated than expected when the team held the NL’s best record for much of the first half.
Los Angeles will look to build on the Coors Field outburst as it continues a road trip and prepares for upcoming series against contenders. The focus now includes both winning games and climbing back toward the top of the National League standings before the playoffs begin in late September.
Whether the Dodgers can reverse the recent trend will go a long way toward determining their seeding — and potentially their chances of a third straight World Series appearance.
