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Philadelphia has already clinched a playoff berth. The Dodgers’ magic number for matching that is five after Monday’s 6–5 extra-inning loss to the Phillies.

So the chances are high the teams will meet again in the postseason, which makes this week’s series at Dodger Stadium a great opportunity to do a little scouting.

“We try to gather as much information as we can,” infielder Miguel Rojas said. “They’re doing the same thing.”

That’s not the main objective though. Because if the Dodgers are closing in a playoff berth, they aren’t there yet. And they have even more work to do after Monday’s game, which ended with Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto’s 10th-inning sacrifice fly scoring ghost runner Harrison Bader with the winning run.

“With where we’re at, I’m trying to win every game,” said manager Dave Roberts, whose team fought back from deficits three times before falling. “And where it falls out is where it falls out.”

Where the Dodgers are is 2 1/2 games in front of idle San Diego in the National League West. Their magic number for clinching an 11^th division title in 12 seasons is 10 with less than two weeks left in the regular season.

But the Dodgers also entered the Phillies series with their eyes on the No. 2 seed in the postseason tournament, a spot Philadelphia holds and one that brings with it a bye in the first round. It’s a break Roberts’ battered roster could use.

But it’s one that became more elusive when Monday’s win pushed the Phillies’ lead to 5½ games in the race for No. 2, a deficit the Dodgers have just 12 games to make up.

“It’s really hard to not face these games down the stretch like a playoff game,” Rojas said. “We’ve been doing this for almost two weeks now. That’s the way that we have to look at it if we want to be prepared for October.”

Left-hander Jack Dreyer agreed.

“Obviously it’s fun to think about the playoffs,” he said. “But right now, we’re just focused on this series and do[ing] whatever we can to perform for this series.”

That doesn’t mean players won’t remember how individual matchups unfold during this series or the next one against the San Francisco Giants, another potential playoff opponent.

“There are absolutely things that you can kind of pick up on and try to use in the future,” Dreyer said. “Every time that you’re playing guys, you can kind of deposit those memories into your brain for the future. Because you’re bound to face the same guys over and over again.”

One memory Dreyer won’t soon forget is the 2-0 fastball he threw to Weston Wilson in the seventh, a pitch Wilson, the Phillies’ ninth-place hitter, drove 417 feet to dead center for a go-ahead home run.

Two matchups Roberts did want to see Monday was left-hander Anthony Banda facing the Phillies’ two left-handed sluggers, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. So he sent the reliever out to open the game.

That didn’t work out well, with Schwarber driving a 2-2 pitch into the second row of the right-centerfield bleachers for his league-best 53^rd homer of the year. It was the first homer Banda had allowed since Aug. 4.

Banda then walked Harper before leaving in favor of right-hander Emmet Sheehan, who didn’t give up another hit until Otto Kemp opened the seventh with a ground-rule double to left.

That led Roberts to pull Sheehan for Dreyer, who gave up an RBI single to Bryson Stott followed by Wilson’s two-run homer, which gave the Phillies a 4-3 lead.

Dodgers relief pitcher Emmet Sheehan throws to the plate during the first inning of a loss to the Philadelphia Phillies Monday at Dodger Stadium.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

The Dodgers got their first run in the third, when Andy Pages led off with a double into the left-field corner, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a Mookie Betts fly ball just short of the warning track in center.

Two innings later, Max Muncy put the Dodgers in front with a leadoff home run to right, his first since returning from the injured list a week ago. Betts made it 3-1 with another sacrifice fly to center later in the inning, giving him 18 RBIs in September and his 77 for the season, two better than his total last year.

Betts added to that in seventh, tying the game with a two-out homer, his 19^th of the season, matching his total from last season.

Harper answered in eighth, putting the Phillies back in front, only to have Pages even things again with one out in the ninth with his 25^th homer of the season off Phillies closer Jhoan Durán, sending the game to extra innings.

The game ended with Muncy grounding out with the bases loaded against Philadelphia right-hander David Robertson.

Stewart reports for rehab assignment

Reliever Brock Stewart, the Dodgers’ most-celebrated acquisition at the trade deadline, left Monday to join Oklahoma City for a two-game rehab assignment. Stewart, on the injured list since Aug. 12 with right shoulder inflammation, is expected to pitch Tuesday and Thursday in Triple A before returning to Dodger Stadium.

“If all goes well, then we have a conversation over the weekend,” Roberts said of Stewart’s availability. “We’ve just got to make sure he’s healthy. If he’s right, then it could be very additive.”

Dodgers honor Betts’ philanthropy

For the second straight year Betts has been chosen as the Dodgers’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s most prestigious off-the-field prize, in recognition for his wide-ranging charity work.

In January, Betts’ 5050 Foundation donated more than $30,000 of Nike clothing to victims of the Southern California wildfires. A few weeks later, in partnership with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), he donated more than $160,000 to the Brotherhood Crusade to help fight hunger and homelessness in Los Angeles.

Also this season the 5050 Foundation partnered with the Obama Foundation at Hyde Park Academy to donate youth sports equipment and other supplies while also funding the Mookie Betts Metro Baseball Tournament in Nashville.

The Mirror’s TV writer Jake Hackney joined DAZN to watch the FIFA Club World Cup for free, but the streaming platform’s other features left him impressed

The FIFA Club World Cup kicked off earlier this month, so the Mirror’s TV writer Jake Hackney set up a free DAZN account to see what all the hype is about. Like many Brits, Jake always linked DAZN with boxing, but as that’s never been his sport, he was yet to truly delve into the platform.

DAZN is now the sole global broadcaster of all 63 matches in the Club World Cup and is showing every game for free. FIFA has really pulled out all the stops with the competition, giving it a makeover with a new format featuring 32 of the world’s top clubs.

Manchester City and Chelsea are flying the flag for the Premier League, along with the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Boca Juniors. The tournament runs until the final on July 13, and football fans can sign up for a free DAZN account to watch every match.

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READ MORE: How to watch the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 for free on UK TV and live stream

As Jake previously told the Mirror, he found it odd not watching football on the BBC or Sky Sports, but given the quality of content and amount of extras available on DAZN, he believes the streaming platform will become more associated with football in the future. Jake opted for the free account, but there’s also the option to upgrade to DAZN’s Premium plan from £9.99.

This includes every Club World Cup match in HDR picture quality and Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound, plus highlights, replays, fewer adverts and full access to the rest of the DAZN platform. But even with a free account, there’s plenty of football content to keep fans entertained in the gap between the Premier League and EFL seasons.

Watch the Club World Cup free on DAZN

The streaming service is showing all of the FIFA Club World Cup games.

What struck Jake was the sheer volume of content available beyond the live matches, with a plethora of features, shows and compilations readily accessible on the Club World Cup homepage. Interviews with big names such as Harry Kane and Pep Guardiola are featured, along with DAZN’s ‘Icons’ series, which offers an in-depth look at each team and the 12 USA host cities.

Since signing up to DAZN, Jake has found himself engrossed in the amount of documentaries focusing on football greats like Cristiano Ronaldo, Maradona and Brazilian Ronaldo. There’s a treasure trove of vintage footage showcasing all the goals scored by specific teams at previous FIFA World Cups, featuring legends like Alessandro Del Piero, Raúl and Didier Drogba.

In short, there’s a feast of content to delve into on DAZN. It’s also straightforward to keep up with the latest competition, with every forthcoming fixture displayed on the Club World Cup homepage complete with dates and kick-off times, as well as the option to view the group brackets and tables, making it simple to stay updated with the current standings.

One can track their favourite teams in the competition to receive a push notification before their games, with Jake following Chelsea and Man City. DAZN sends him reminders about each of their fixtures, though with some kicking off in the early hours, he’ll opt to watch the DAZN highlights instead.

For those who aren’t keen on adding another subscription to their list, DAZN has sublicensed a selection of matches to Channel 5, meaning 23 games will be shown on both DAZN and Channel 5. This could be a good alternative for football fans who aren’t as tech-savvy or don’t mind missing out on some games.

Of course, there’s always the traditional Sky Sports package that costs £35 per month on a 24-month contract, in addition to essential Sky TV. This includes nine dedicated channels, covering the Premier League, Football, Cricket, Golf, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA, Netball and much more, although the length of the contract might be a drawback for some.

DAZN boasts an impressive lineup of pundits for its Club World Cup coverage, including none other than Brazilian legend Ronaldo. Other big names include John Obi Mikel and Sami Khedira, with Conor McNamara, Andros Townsend, Brad Friedel, Rob Green among the commentators, offering a refreshing change from the usual voices on Sky or TNT Sports.

Jake has been using DAZN on both his Samsung smart TV and iPhone 13 and it’s performed largely well. There have been moments where it’s been slightly slow to respond and there’s been a bit of lag, but once a live game or documentary has loaded up, he has encountered no major problems.

The FIFA Club World Cup kicked off on Saturday so our TV writer Jake Hackney registered for a free DAZN account to catch all the action, here’s what he made of the streamer.

The FIFA Club World Cup kicked off over the weekend so I bagged myself a free DAZN account to see what all the fuss is about. Like many Brits, I’ve always associated DAZN with boxing, but as that’s never been my sport I’m yet to truly explore the platform.

DAZN is now the exclusive global broadcaster of all 63 fixtures in the Club World Cup and is airing every game for free, which is definitely more my bag. FIFA has really gone all out with this competition, revamping it with a new format featuring 32 of the best clubs from around the world.

There’s Manchester City and Chelsea representing the Premier League, plus the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Boca Juniors. The competition runs through to the final on July 13, and fans can register for a free DAZN account to watch every fixture.

READ MORE: How to watch the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 for free on UK TV and live stream

READ MORE: Disney+ drops to £1.99 in rare deal Netflix and Amazon can’t beat

It certainly feels strange not watching football on the BBC or Sky Sports, but considering the quality of content and amount of extras on offer, I wouldn’t be surprised if DAZN becomes more synonymous with football in the coming years. I opted for the free account, but there’s also the option to upgrade to DAZN’s Premium plan from £9.99.

This includes every Club World Cup game in HDR picture quality and Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound, plus highlights, replays, fewer adverts and full access to the rest of the DAZN platform. But even with a free account, there’s plenty of football content to keep fans entertained in the lull between the Premier League and EFL seasons.

Watch the Club World Cup free on DAZN

The FIFA Club World Cup will see 32 of the world’s best club teams including Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich play across 63 games from June 14-July 13.

Fans can watch every match live and for free by signing up to DAZN.

What struck me was how much there is to watch besides the live games, with countless features, shows and compilations right there on the Club World Cup homepage. There’s interviews with some of the big names taking part including Harry Kane and Pep Guardiola, as well as DAZN’s ‘Icons’ series, which takes a closer look at each team and the 12 USA host cities.

I’ve also been enjoying the plethora of documentaries centred around greats like Cristiano Ronaldo, Maradona and Brazilian Ronaldo. There’s a host of vintage footage featuring all the goals scored by certain teams at previous FIFA World Cups, starring legends like Alessandro Del Piero, Raúl and Didier Drogba.

In short, there’s plenty to tuck into. But it’s easy to follow the latest competition too, with every upcoming fixture displayed on the Club World Cup homepage complete with dates and kick-off times, as well as the option to display the group brackets and tables, making it easy to keep up to date with the current standings.

You can follow your favourite teams in the competition to receive a push notification before their games, so I followed Chelsea and Man City. DAZN now reminds me about each of their fixtures just in case I forget – though as some kick off in the early hours, I think I’ll wait for their DAZN highlights.

For those who don’t want to sign up for another subscription, DAZN has also sublicensed select fixtures to Channel 5, meaning 23 games will be broadcast on both DAZN and 5. This may be a good option for less tech-savvy football fans who are not bothered about every game.

Of course, there’s also a classic Sky Sports which can be purchased for £35 a month for a 24-month contract alongside essential Sky TV. This includes nine dedicated channels, including the Premier League, Football, Cricket, Golf, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA, Netball and much more, though the length of contract may be a downside for some.

DAZN boasts some huge names in its Club World Cup punditry lineup, including none other than Brazilian legend Ronaldo. Other stars include John Obi Mikel and Sami Khedira, with Conor McNamara, Andros Townsend, Brad Friedel, Rob Green among the commentators, which makes a nice change from the usual voices on Sky or TNT Sports.

I’ve been using DAZN on both my Samsung smart TV and iPhone 13 and it’s performed largely ok. There have been times where it’s been slightly slow to respond and there’s been a bit of lag, but once a piece of content like a live game or documentary has loaded up I’ve experienced no major issues.