Dodgers in uncharted waters

Here are a few of my favorite things:

• The Dodgers have not lost a series since early June.
• They are 18 games ahead of Arizona and Colorado, which figure to make the playoffs and face off in the Wild Card game. The winner gets the Dodgers in the NLDS.
• Justin Turner is leading the league with a .346 batting average and hit two dingers last night as the Dodgers took two out of three from San Diego.
• Rookie Cody Bellinger has 34 homers and 79 RBI and he wasn't called up until late April.
• Ace Clayton Kershaw is getting close to returning to the starting rotation after suffering back spasms.
• Adrian Gonzalez is getting close to returning to the lineup. If he's healthy and gets his stroke back, an already intimidating batting order just gets better. If Gonzalez is ready look for Joc Pederson to see less playing time with Bellinger moving to left field and Taylor moving to center. That batting order becomes even scarier. Taylor could also see some time at second with Logan Forsythe and Chase Utley both hitting in the .230 range.
• Shortstop Corey Seager has avoided the Sophomore Jinx, hitting .307 with 19 homers and 57 RBI after winning the Rookie of Year last season.
• Chris Taylor has emerged as a bonafide leadoff hitter, hitting at .307 clip with 17 dingers, 56 RBI, four triples and 13 stolen bases. Oh, and he can play the outfield as well as the infield on defense.
• Yasiel Puig is maturing right before our eyes. His pitch selection, willingness to go to the opposite field and overall plate discipline has resulted in a .253 average, 21 homers and 55 RBI out of the eighth hole. Then there is his defense. Puig has a rifle in right field and covers ground like no one else.
• Yu Darvish is 2-0 since joining the Dodgers and will only get better under the tutelage of Rick Honeycutt.
• Austin Barnes, technically the backup catcher, is hitting .290 with six homers. Starter Yasmani Grandal is hitting .263 with 15 dingers and 43 RBI. Dave Roberts has to love the depth he has behind the plate.
• The rotation is solidifying. Kershaw, Darvish and Alex Wood are locks for the playoff rotation with Rich Hill, Kenta Maeda and Hyun-Jin Ryu battling it out for the fourth spot.
• Middle relief looks strong with Brock Stewart, Josh Fields, Pedro Baez, Brandon Morrow, Ross Stripling, Luis Avilan and newcomers Tony Cingrani and Tony Watson ready to get the Dodgers to closer Kenley Jansen. Jansen is 32 for 33 in save opportunities, holding a 1.20 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 52.1 innings.

The Dodgers amazing season is creating sky-high expectations for October. As it stands now, LA's path to a World Series would involve facing the Wild Card winner (Arizona or Colorado) and then the winner of the Washington-Chicago series, if the Cubs can hold off St. Louis and Milwaukee.

Should the Dodgers survive the NL playoffs their World Series opponent figures to be Houston, with the Red Sox, Yankees, Indians and Angels still in the mix.

It's been a wild ride so far.