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LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are onโค the verge of securing postseason berths, โขwith both โteams boastingโ over 99% playoff โคprobabilities as of Friday,โ accordingโข to Baseball Prospectus. This โคsets the stage for a โฃpotentiallyโ thrilling National League Championship Series โฃshowdown between โthe southern California rivals.
The Padres,who โhave the second-fewestโ home โฃruns in โMajor League Baseball,managed to score both of their runs in a single inning Friday against the Dodgers.The rallyโ was built on three singles, a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and a sacrifice fly.
San Diego demonstrated a strong emphasis on small ball during Friday’s game,โ executing three sacrifice bunts. This brings their season total to a majorโฃ league-leading 40 โsacrifice bunts. In contrast, theโฃ Dodgers have recorded onyl eight, the fewest among National League teams.
Padres reliever Mason Miller, formerly an All-Star closer for the Oakland Athletics, reflected on his career highlight to date. He stated that closingโฃ the final game at Oakland Coliseum last September remains his most memorable baseball experience. “I thinkโ I โsaid it after that game: until I play inโข the playoffs, that will probably be myโ all-time baseball memory,” Miller said. “Now it doesn’t seem โคlike I’ll have to wait that much longer to get that playoff taste.”
Baseball Prospectus calculated โthe Dodgers’ playoff probability at 99.8% and the Padres’ at 99.6% as of
