Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Freddie Freeman (5) celebrates after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Allan Henry-Imagn Images

'Dynastic' Dodgers clinch 12th division title in last 13 years

By Seth Carlson | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 7:39 PM ET

Even in a year where they've 'underachieved', the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to roll right along.

With the club's 8-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday in Phoenix, the Dodgers secured their 12th NL West Division title in the last 13 years, as well as their fourth consecutive crown.

It's a historic run of dominance for Los Angeles, which has also made the playoffs in every season dating back to 2013. In that span, it captured two World Series titles (2020 and 2024) and four NL pennants (2017, 2018, 2020, 2024).

However, the Dodgers' path to securing a repeat World Series championship in 2025 doesn't look certain. They have clear holes in their bullpen beyond lefty Alex Vesia, while the starting rotation hasn't gelled all season. Not to mention, Los Angeles' vaunted lineup hasn't quite hit at the level many expected.

Freddie Freeman clubs 2 of the @Dodgers 4 home runs as Los Angeles clinches its 12th NL West title in the last 13 years! pic.twitter.com/Rq3GRxYJQD
— MLB (@MLB) September 25, 2025

It's all led to a closer-than-expected race to the NL West crown, coupled with a late-season surge by the rival San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers now await their first-round playoff matchup, with a bye all but out of the question. They'd host a best-of-three Wild Card Series at Dodger Stadium, likely against the Cincinnati Reds or the New York Mets, the latter of which would constitute a rematch of last season's NLCS between the two biggest payroll clubs in all of MLB.

It would be hard to categorize this season as anything other than a failure if Los Angeles is eliminated before reaching the NLCS again this year, given the preseason hype and its status as the defending world champions.

The first step towards a Dodgers repeat bid has been achieved. Now, we wait for the rest of the October narrative to unfold.

Seth Carlson

Seth Carlson is an experienced writer and editor based in the NYC area with a particular love for all things baseball. He has a demonstrated history of delivering insightful analysis and engaging content across multiple outlets and industries. Seth brings his expertise and commitment to high-quality coverage to Yardbarker’s readers.

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