MIAMI – In what has become a fall tradition, the Los Angeles Dodgers have secured their spot in the playoffs once again.

The Dodgers clinched their 12th consecutive postseason berth Thursday with a dominant 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins. On the same night, Shohei Ohtani made history by hitting three home runs and stealing two bases, becoming the first player in MLB history to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

The Dodgers are currently leading the NL West and their magic number to clinch the division is down to six. They are in contention for the NL’s No. 2 seed, which would earn them a first-round bye in the playoffs, with a 2 1/2-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers. Additionally, they hold a four-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the division.

Los Angeles joins the New York Yankees and Brewers as the first teams to secure playoff berths this season. The Cleveland Guardians also locked in a playoff spot earlier in the week.

The Dodgers have consistently reached at least 90 wins in each of the last 11 162-game seasons, but have only secured one World Series title during that span, which came in the shortened 2020 season.

Ohtani was the star of the evening, driving in 10 runs with a combination of doubles, singles, and home runs. Following his $700 million deal with the Dodgers last year, Ohtani is heading to the postseason for the first time in his career.

Teammate Mookie Betts commented on Ohtani’s achievement, saying, “That’s when we’ll see the best Shohei, I think, when he gets in that atmosphere.”

Manager Dave Roberts emphasized the team’s focus on securing the NL West title and the challenges that lie ahead as they head back to Los Angeles to face the Colorado Rockies.

The Dodgers will wrap up their season with a series against the Padres before closing out with a final series against the Rockies.

Roberts highlighted the importance of enjoying the team’s successes amidst a challenging season, stating, “The goal is to win the last game in October, but you’ve still got to enjoy moments.”

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