The Los Angeles Dodgers are at it again, snatching up their 13th division title in the last 14 seasons with an 8-2 beatdown of the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday. This isn’t just another win for them, it’s their 93rd of the season, already matching their total from last year. But honestly, while the champagne was flowing for the division clincher, everyone was buzzing about Kyle Tucker’s absolute monster performance at the plate.
Tucker’s Near-Cycle Steals the Show
Kyle Tucker showed up to play, plain and simple. He launched his second home run of that four-game set in Cincinnati, absolutely crushing it. He finished the night with four hits in five at-bats, coming up just a triple shy of the cycle. Can you believe it? So close to baseball immortality on a night that was already huge. You gotta feel for the guy missing that last piece, but man, what a display! Tucker even told David Vassegh from SportsNet LA that he “tried my best” to stretch his final at-bat into a triple, but realized he “probably would’ve been thrown out halfway.” He just settled for a double. For a guy who’s apparently had a “disappointing first year with his new team,” this game was a serious preview of what he could bring in October. Talk about finding your rhythm at the perfect time. The dude was feeling it, and you could see the relief and gratitude when he talked about his teammates. “This group is awesome. Everyone supports each other through the ups and downs,” he said, clearly pumped about the vibe in the clubhouse. “We all know where we want to be at the end of the year, and we all just try to help each other out to get there. This is a great group to play with, to play behind, so everyone is super supportive. Everyone knows what we gotta get done.” That’s the kind of locker room you want heading into the deep end of the season.
Ohtani’s Return and Skubal’s New Grind
And get this, the Dodgers might be getting another huge piece back just in time. Team president Andrew Friedman dropped some optimism about Shohei Ohtani, who’s been out with an injury. Friedman expects Ohtani to be back from the injured list before the regular season even wraps up. He told Jack Harris of the California Post that Ohtani “is doing well” and “progressing well.” Friedman was straight up, declaring, “I expect him back in the regular season.” Imagine adding that kind of firepower back to a team already clinching their division. That’s just wild. Then there’s Tarik Skubal. Just two months ago, he was pitching for a Detroit Tigers team that was going nowhere fast. Now? The guy is celebrating the chance to pitch in the postseason for the third year in a row, but this time, he’s doing it for the reigning two-time World Series champions. Talk about an upgrade! Skubal is already looking past the division title, hoping Thursday’s celebration was just “first of many.” He called it “checking a box” and said “once we get to postseason baseball and doing all that stuff, I think it’s going to be a ton of fun.” This team’s got their sights set on a three-peat, and they’re not shy about it.
With only nine games left in the regular season, the Dodgers are locked in. Ohtani’s potential return, Tucker finally finding his swing, and Skubal pumped for the big stage. You can bet they’re not just happy to have clinched; they’re hungry for more. It’s clear they’re ready to make a serious push for that historic three-peat.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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