Local News
Three Dodgers players that could be X-Factors in the 2024 Postseason – NBC Los Angeles
In postseason baseball, it’s often the under-the-radar players who step up and carve their names into October glory.
Sure, superstars and former MVPs like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman will be expected to carry the bulk of the load, but as we’ve seen time and time again, it’s the unsung heroes that tip the scales.
Ohtani, the runaway favorite for National League MVP this season, and the one and only member of the prestigious 50-50 club in baseball history, will need to perform at his best in his first taste of the postseason in his seven-year career.
Behind him, Betts and Freeman will have to step up and shake off their paltry performances from last year. The dynamic duo at the top of the Dodgers lineup were a combined 1-for-21 in the 2023 NLDS, a three-game sweep by the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks
On the starting pitching front, the Dodgers will need someone to take the mound and pitch like an ace. Despite the staff depleted by injuries, someone will have to take the ball in the playoffs, and they will need to do a better job than three-time Cy Young Award winner and former NL MVP Clayton Kershaw did in Game 1 of the NLDS last season.
For the Los Angeles Dodgers to make a deep run in 2024, they’ll need more than just their marquee names to perform. Without further ado, here are three players that can be potential x-factors for the Boys in Blue this October:
Tommy Edman: The Swiss Army Knife
Tommy Edman’s journey to the Dodgers has been nothing short of intriguing. Acquired in a midseason trade, the versatile center fielder and shortstop has quickly made his presence felt both offensively and defensively. His .780 OPS since joining the club in August is respectable, but it’s his versatility that makes him so valuable.
Edman’s ability to switch-hit allows manager Dave Roberts to shuffle the lineup based on matchups, and his defensive prowess—whether patrolling center field or filling in at shortstop—makes him indispensable. He’s a Gold Glove-caliber defender and a threat on the basepaths, going 6-for-6 in stolen bases for the Dodgers.
But the real reason Edman could be the Dodgers’ postseason x-factor? He thrives in moments where flexibility is key. Whether it’s coming up with a clutch hit, a critical defensive stop, or swiping a base in a tight game, Edman has the tools to make a game-changing impact. If Edman’s name comes up in October, don’t be surprised—it’s his kind of postseason that legends are made of.
Gavin Lux: The Redemption Story
Gavin Lux’s path has been anything but smooth. After missing last year’s postseason due to a torn ACL, Lux spent the first half of 2024 struggling at the plate, hitting just .213 with minimal power.
However, the second half has seen a resurgence. Since the All-Star break, Lux has batted an impressive .294 with 7 home runs and 25 RBIs, showing flashes of the player many believed he could become.
Lux’s postseason experience, while inconsistent, could serve him well this year. He’s been part of playoff teams before, but this version of Lux—the one who’s battled back from injury and midseason struggles—has something to prove. His left-handed bat deepens the Dodgers’ lineup and, if he can carry his second-half surge into October, Lux could provide the spark they desperately need in the back half of the lineup.
The Dodgers will need the best version of Lux if they want to win it all, and if he plays like he did in July and August, he may just be the difference-maker in the middle of their lineup. This postseason could be Lux’s chance at redemption.
Walker Buehler: The Big-Game Wild Card
Walker Buehler being listed as an X-factor for the Dodgers almost feels wrong, considering his history of postseason heroics.
However, his journey back to the mound after a second Tommy John surgery has been anything but routine. Buehler’s 2024 season has been a struggle, posting a 5.63 ERA and a 1-6 record in 15 games. He wasn’t supposed to be a key part of the Dodgers’ playoff rotation, but injuries to Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone, and potentially Clayton Kershaw have forced the Dodgers to reconsider.
Now, Buehler is thrust into the spotlight, expected to be the team’s third starter in the playoffs.
While his regular-season numbers don’t inspire confidence, his reputation as a big-game pitcher can’t be ignored. Buehler lives for October, and if there’s anyone who can rise above a difficult season and deliver on the biggest stage, it’s him.
If Buehler can find his groove when it matters most, the Dodgers’ rotation could transform from a question mark into a strength. His ability to flip the script in the postseason might just be the key to their success.
Tommy Edman’s versatility, Gavin Lux’s redemption arc, and Walker Buehler’s potential to reclaim his big-game form could be the pieces that push the Dodgers over the edge this October. While the spotlight will undoubtedly shine on the stars, it’s these three who might just determine how far the Dodgers go this postseason.
Local News
Man dead after fatal stabbing in Beverly Hills – NBC Los Angeles
Police are investigating the events that led up to a fatal stabbing Saturday in Beverly Hills.
Detectives say initial reports indicate there was a confrontation between two men near the intersection of Spalding Drive and Charleville Boulevard.
A witness who asked not to be identified tells NBC4 that the injured man police arrested allegedly tried assaulting a father with a little girl near that same intersection.
“He had a baby in his arm and being attacked by an assailant was clearly a situation that we couldn’t just drive away from, so we pulled up right in front of them,” said the witness, who intervened. “He was not present, he was having some kind of psychotic break, and so it was kind of scary.”
The witness says as soon as he pulled over his son jumped out to help the father and child – he then saw the man with a deep cut on his face turn his attention to his car and said he tried grabbing his dog.
“I reached back, grabbed her, and then was pulling her back, but he wouldn’t let go, so I was pulling her, he was pulling her, and then I started punching him because I was yelling at him to get out of my car.”
The witness says during this time his car slowly rolled into a yard on Spalding– and saw the injured man stumble away towards a nearby home. He added that he did not see how the fatal stabbing happened.
The man with the stab wound was taken to a hospital where he later died, according to authorities.
Police have not released the identity of that man and say the other person involved in the confrontation is cooperating with investigators.
Local News
OCFA task force deployed to North Carolina for hurricane relief – NBC Los Angeles
The Orange County Fire Authority’s California Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 5 (CA-TF5) has been deployed to North Carolina to aid in hurricane relief and rescue missions.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida Thursday, causing destruction across multiple states.
The multi-agency task force made up of 48 specialized personnel will assist with critical mitigation efforts, according to the OFCA. Operations include conducting search and rescue missions throughout the area.
“We stand ready to serve and support our communities, no matter the distance. North Carolina—we’re on our way,” wrote the OCFA.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday with winds of 140 mph (225 kph).
It unleashed the worst flooding in a century in North Carolina, where Gov. Roy Cooper described it as “catastrophic” as search and rescue teams from 19 states and the federal government came to help. One community, Spruce Pine, was doused with over 2 feet (0.6 meters) of rain from Tuesday through Saturday.
Evacuations began before the storm hit and continued as lakes overtopped dams, including one in North Carolina that forms a lake featured in the movie “Dirty Dancing.” Helicopters were used to rescue some people from flooded homes.
At least 58 people have died due to the destruction of Hurricane Helene.
Local News
Shohei Ohtani has 2 hits to close on NL batting title in Triple Crown bid as Dodgers beat Rockies 13-2 – NBC Los Angeles
Shohei Ohtani had two hits and raised his average to .310 in his bid to overtake batting leader Luis Arraez and become the National League’s first Triple Crown winner since 1937, helping the playoff-bound Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 13-2 on Saturday night.
Ohtani went 2 for 5 and closed within four points of Arraez, who got a night off from San Diego and is hitting .314 going into the regular season’s final day.
Ohtani leads the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs. The last NL Triple Crown winner was Joe Medwick of the 1937 St. Louis Cardinals. The last to achieve the feat in the major leagues was Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera in 2012.
In addition, Ohtani stole his 58th base of a season in which he became the first 50-50 player.
Teoscar Hernández and Kike Hernández each hit three-run homers for Los Angeles, which has scored at least 11 runs in consecutive games for the first time since July 21-22 last year at Texas. Teoscar Hernández has 99 RBIs.
Teoscar Hernández sets a new career high with his 33rd home run of the season! 💪 pic.twitter.com/YZ9Rtg55Te
— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2024
Yoshinobu Yamamato (7-2) allowed two runs and four hits over five innings while striking out six, earning his first win since beating the Rockies on June 1. Yamamoto was making his fourth start after missing three months with a strained rotator cuff.
The Dodgers (97-64) clinched the majors’ best record and home-field advantage throughout the postseason when Philadelphia lost at Washington earlier Saturday.
Ohtani singled in the first, grounded out in the second, walked and scored in the fifth and singled in the fifth. He flied out in the seventh and grounded out in the ninth.
Kike Hernández, who finished with three hits, hit a 430-foot homer to center in the second inning off of Antonio Senzatela (0-1) for a 4-1 lead. Teoscar Hernández’s career-high 33rd homer in the fifth made it 8-2.
Ezequiel Tovar hit his team-leading 26th home for Colorado (61-100), which reached the century mark in losses for the second straight season.
Charlie Blackmon, who will retire Sunday after 14 years in the majors, all with the Rockies, was 1 for 4 and scored a run.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: Manager Dave Roberts said 1B Freddie Freeman felt “much better.” Freeman sprained his right ankle in the seventh inning of the NL West Division clincher against San Diego on Thursday night.
Rockies: OF Brenton Doyle was out of the lineup due to right knee tendinitis.
UP NEXT
Dodgers RHP Landon Knack (2-5, 3.74) starts against Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (3-10, 4.66) in Sunday’s regular-season finale.
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