The Los Angeles Dodgers have clinched the National League West title, while the New York Yankees will not advance to the playoffs for the second straight season, MLB scores and standings update indicated.
The Dodgers clinched the division title with a dominating 9-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
Cleyton Kershaw solidified his bid to win the NL Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player after scoring his 21st victory this season, tying his career high in wins in a single season.
Kershaw, who has been the main reason why the Dodgers are having a successful season, also tallied the second-best single-season winning percentage at .875 - just behind Preacher Roe, who ended up with a .880 mark in 1951.
"He's so tough, what a year he's had," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Kershaw in an MLB scores and standings update on ESPN. "You've got to play perfect ball to beat him and hope you get a timely hit and we didn't do it."
Despite losing to the Dodgers, the Giants, who have an 85-73 record this season, are still in a good position to take one of the two wild card spots in the National League as they are currently four games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the race.
Meanwhile, the Yankees officially fell out of contention for a wild card berth in the American League after taking a 9-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday at the Yankee Stadium.
With the loss, the Yankees failed to make the postseason for two consecutive years for the first time since the 1992 and 1993 MLB seasons.
"It's disappointing. It's frustrating," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said in a MLB scores and standings news. "This is not where you want to be at this time of year."
The loss also means that Derek Jeter will not play in the playoffs in his final season in the major league as the veteran shortstop has already announced that he will call it quits after the current season.
