After losing in the World Series for the second consecutive year last October, the Los Angeles Dodgers showed up to Camelback Ranch for Spring Training in February as a team on a mission to get back to the pinnacle and win it all in 2019.
Every season has its ups and downs, but the Dodgers are a veteran club that has been through it before so they were able to build a big division lead early in the season that was simply too much for the other teams in the National League West to overcome.
The Dodgers took their first step in returning to the World Series on Tuesday night as they defeated the Baltimore Orioles to clinch their seventh straight division championship.
By securing the NL West title in the 146th game of the season, it marked the earliest the Dodgers have clinched a division championship. The previous mark was 151 games held by the 1977 team.
Couldn’t celebrate without Dugie or @maxmuncy9 so the guys video chatted them.
pic.twitter.com/fVa4pMDDV6
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 11, 2019
Additionally, the Dodgers clinched the division this year with an 18-game lead on the competition. That is the largest margin of victory for an NL West champion since 1975 when the Cincinnati Reds did it with a 20-game lead.
The job, of course, is not finished for the Dodgers as they still have 11 more wins to get in the postseason. The remainder of the regular season will now be dedicated to earning home-field advantage throughout the World Series, which will not be an easy task with the New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves also in the mix.
That feeling when you clinch and get your first career homer on the same night. pic.twitter.com/SGW11E36Ka
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 11, 2019
Winning the division for a record seventh straight season is definitely something worth celebrating though, and the Dodgers did so with champagne and beer in the visiting clubhouse at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Before they did so though, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made sure to get injured players Alex Verdugo and Max Muncy, who have both made huge contributions this season, involved in the celebration. It was a group effort but eventually, both were reached via FaceTime to enjoy it with their teammates.
.@d_maydabeast, you good?
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— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 11, 2019
While for the veterans on the Dodgers, champagne celebrations are something that they are used to doing at the end of every season, the club also has a handful of rookies that got the chance to enjoy it for the first time.
Among those that have made large contributions this season are Matt Beaty, Tony Gonsolin, Gavin Lux, Dustin May, Edwin Rios and Will Smith. Lux helped the Dodgers earn the clinching victory with his first career Major League home run on Tuesday night.
.@Cody_Bellinger has no chill. pic.twitter.com/wJoZlwd9Qz
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 11, 2019