Dodgers look to join Yankees in MLB history as they chase three-peat

[p]After winning 100 games over the six-month season, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-dodgers/nwPDBpVc/"]Dodgers[/a] seek a three-peat that hasn't been achieved since the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-yankees/SrC4LDIT/"]Yankees[/a] in 1998-2000[/p][p][b]"It doesn't change anything as far as our standing going forward in the postseason, but it's still a nice feather in our cap to win 100 games," [/b]Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.[/p][p]Six teams each qualified for the National League and American League playoffs, which start with best-of-three wildcard series play.[/p][embed guid="70ccd8b7-834c-41fc-b7f5-a7ac62991958" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6nYFUpTABM" social-type="youtube" /][p]The Yankees will host arch-rival [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-red-sox/zaXTinF3/"]Boston,[/a] with the winner advancing to face AL top seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tampa-bay-rays/GCHgI4hp/"]Tampa Bay[/a] in the best-of-five division series.[/p][p]Slugger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/judge-aaron/WSFM7DfK/"]Aaron Judge[/a], recovering from a calf strain after missing 84 games earlier with a rib injury, aims to return against the Red Sox. The Yankees were 7-6 against Boston this season.[/p][p][b]"My goal is to come back as soon as I can," [/b]outfielder Judge said. [b]"Ask me if I'm going to be back I'll tell you yeah."[/b][/p][p]Yankees manager Aaron Boone was more cautious, saying, [b]"We'll listen to the trainers and medical and see where we're at."[/b][/p][p]Last-day qualifier [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-astros/lfZXonNq/"]Houston[/a] - the AL West winners with the worst record in playoff history, at 81-81 - will host the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-white-sox/SW9D1eZo/"]Chicago White Sox[/a] in the other AL series. The Astros won the regular season series 5-2.[/p][p]The winner meets [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-guardians/4K05MrFG/"]Cleveland[/a], which also earned a first-round bye.[/p][p]In the NL, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-diego-padres/8poQN9Ud/"]San Diego[/a] will play host to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-cubs/j7ZnBQFi/"]Chicago Cubs[/a], who went 5-1 against the Padres, with the winner advancing to face NL top seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-brewers/CGzqC60o/"]Milwaukee[/a], which won an MLB-best 103 games this season.[/p][p]The other NL wildcard series sends [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-phillies/QTNHA4p4/"]Philadelphia[/a], which survived four straight losses to qualify on the last day, against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-braves/0UPxbDYA/"]Atlanta[/a], which went 9-4 against the Phillies.[/p][embed guid="6151dc28-8cba-4135-8890-280a8fbb49b4" url="https://x.com/MLB/status/2104594603701612994?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The winner will visit Dodger Stadium for a division series opener on Saturday.[/p][p]The Dodgers went 18-7 in September to enter the post-season on a hot streak.[/p][p][b]"As a group we played better baseball again and that's what you want going into the post-season," [/b]first baseman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/freeman-freddie/r75ohJvo/"]Freddie Freeman[/a] said.[/p][p][b]"Our pitching staff is amazing. Guys started to swing the bat better. Some of us still need to use these five days to figure it out. But a lot of good things happened over the course of the end of the season."[/b][/p][p]One concern for the Dodgers is the play of Japanese superstar [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ohtani-shohei/QoeWGRko/"]Ohtani[/a], who struggled in five games since returning from left knee and right biceps injuries.[/p][p]Ohtani, a four-time league Most Valuable Player, batted 5-for-21 with eight strikeouts and one walk over his closing stretch, ending the season hitting .275 with 30 home runs.[/p][p][b]"He came out of it healthy, so you just expect the ensuing days he feels even better," [/b]Roberts said.[b] "When you look out to Saturday, I think he'll be in a good spot."[/b][/p]