Dodgers Aim for Three-Peat vs. "Not This Year"

Dodgers Aim for First World Series Three-Peat in 26 Years
Ohtani, Skubal, Betts, Freeman Lead Powerhouse Roster
Milwaukee, Tampa Bay, and San Diego Also Contenders for the Title

Stop the Los Angeles Dodgers' dominance.

Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States has concluded its 2026 regular season and is now entering the postseason. This year, the MLB postseason opens with the Wild Card Series from September 30 to October 2.

The Division Series (DS), which pits the Wild Card (WC) winners against the first and second seeds, will be held between October 4 and October 11. The League Championship Series (LCS), a best-of-seven series, takes place from October 12 to 21, and the much-anticipated World Series, also a best-of-seven matchup, begins on October 24.

In the American League (AL), the Tampa Bay Rays, who finished first in the AL East, secured the top seed, while the Cleveland Guardians, champions of the Central Division, earned the second seed. Both teams advance directly to the Division Series (DS, best-of-five). Houston (third seed) and the top three Wild Card teams—New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox—earned the fourth through sixth seeds and will compete in the WC (best-of-three). The winners of Houston vs. White Sox and Yankees vs. Boston in the WC will advance to the DS to face Cleveland and Tampa Bay, respectively.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Leads the Charge for a Three-Peat in the World Series. AP News

In the National League (NL), the Milwaukee Brewers, first place in the Central Division and holders of the best overall winning percentage, earned the top seed. The Dodgers, first in the West, secured the second seed—both go straight to the Division Series. The Atlanta Braves, the winners of the East (third seed), and the Wild Card teams—the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies—fill the fourth through sixth seeds. The winner of Atlanta vs. Philadelphia and the winner of San Diego vs. Cubs will go on to play the Dodgers and Milwaukee, respectively, in the DS.

The biggest storyline this year is whether the Dodgers can achieve a three-peat in the World Series. After acquiring superstar Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers clinched back-to-back World Series titles in 2024 and 2025. A three-peat has been accomplished only four times in MLB history, most recently by the Yankees, who won three consecutive titles from 1998 to 2000. The Dodgers are aiming for this milestone for the first time in 26 years, which would be the fifth overall in the league's history.

Tarik Skubal, who transferred to the Dodgers this year, is expected to play the ace role in the postseason. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The Dodgers boast the strongest roster. Their starting rotation includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow. The lineup is equally formidable, featuring Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker, Will Smith, Andy Pages, and Teoscar Hernandez as the core. Shohei Ohtani, who suffered an injury in the second half of the season, will play only as a hitter.

The competition aiming to block the Dodgers’ third consecutive championship is formidable. Milwaukee, with its strong pitching and hitting balance, Tampa Bay, who emerged victorious from the highly competitive AL East, and the perennial powerhouses Yankees and Boston all pose a significant threat. In particular, the Dodgers’ rival, San Diego, also cannot be underestimated.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.