Dodgers Week 24: A division title & several win milestones

Last week was particularly eventful for the Dodgers, who won two more series against National League West teams, giving them 11 straight series wins against the division.

In beating the Diamondbacks and Giants five times in six games, the Dodgers officially secured a playoff spot on Monday, clinched their ninth NL West division title in 10 years on Tuesday, won 100 games faster than any other team in franchise history, and set a team record with 52 road wins in a season, just the third time ever the Dodgers have won 50 away games in a season.

Freddie Freeman even got a day off, his first of the season.

Batter of the week

Justin Turner continued his resurgence over the second half of the season by hitting .400 last week. His four doubles gave him 36 on the season, setting a new career high.

Pitcher of the week

Clayton Kershaw allowed only two hits in seven scoreless innings in beating the D-backs on Tuesday in the division clincher. Kershaw in four career games with a chance to clinch the division (also 2009, 2014, 2015) has allowed one run in 30 innings, with 39 strikeouts.

Week 24 results

5-1 record
29 runs scored (4.83 per game)
10 runs allowed (1.67 per game)
.875 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

101-44 record
785 runs scored (5.41 per game)
456 runs allowed (3.14 per game)
.730 pythagorean win percentage (106-39)

Magic number: 1 to clinch a bye into the NLDS

Miscellany

Double trouble: In setting a career high in two-baggers last week, Justin Turner hit his 35th double of the season on Friday. Mookie Betts hit his 35th double on Sunday. Those two, along with Freddie Freeman (MLB-high 45 doubles) and Trea Turner (38 doubles), the Dodgers tied a franchise record with four players hitting 35 doubles in a season. That matched the 2014 team, which got at least 35 doubles from Adrián González, Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, and Hanley Ramírez.

Rivalry record: The Dodgers won 15 out of 19 games against the Giants this season, their most wins against the longtime rivals in a single season. The .789 win percentage is their second-best, behind only the 1899 Brooklyn Superbas, who beat New York 10 out of 12 times (.833) .

Transactions

Tuesday: Tommy Kahnle was activated off the 60-day injured list after missing four months, and Heath Hembree was designated for assignment.

Wednesday: Michael Grove was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start the series finale in Phoenix, and Andre Jackson was optioned to Triple-A.

Friday: Hembree cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A, but as someone with at least five years of major league service time he instead exercised his right to free agency.

Saturday: Tyler Anderson was placed on the paternity list, and Jackson was called back up.

Game results

• Monday: Dodgers 6, D-backs 0
• Tuesday: Dodgers 4, D-backs 0
• Wednesday: D-backs 5, Dodgers 3 (10 innings)
• Friday: Dodgers 5, Giants 0
• Saturday: Dodgers 7, Giants 2
• Sunday: Dodgers 4, Giants 3 (10 innings)

Previous weekly reviews: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | Week 16 | Week 17 | Week 18 | Week 19 | Week 20 | Week 21 | Week 22 | Week 23

Up next

Thirteen of the Dodgers’ final 16 games are at home. This week, the Dodgers run the Bryan Augenstein gauntlet, hosting the D-backs for five games, including a split doubleheader Tuesday, then welcome the Cardinals over the weekend in a potential postseason preview.

The order of Michael Grove and Tyler Anderson pitching in Tuesday’s doubleheader is unknown.