San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers: Mapping a potential, albeit improbable, path to winning the NL West

Apr 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Santiago Casilla (46) shakes hands with catcher Buster Posey (28) after the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Giants won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Statistically, the Giants have less than a one percent chance of making it to the 2016 postseason. Realistically, their odds are a lot better than that.

No, I’m not overlooking the seven-game deficient in front of them with only 13 left to play, nor am I ignoring that they are without half of their everyday players due to injury. But recent history has shown that these Giants—or, at least, many of them—play their best with their backs against the wall (read: when facing elimination).

The Dodgers, now losers of three straight, have a tendency to do opposite, though their collapses have come in October more often than not. Four-game set with the Giants aside, they should be able to take care of business against a trio of sub-.500 teams with little left to play for…but you just never know.

Right now, there’s little pressure on the Dodgers with a magic number (7) well within reach, but if this week’s games send these teams in different directions, their series at AT&T starting on Sept. 28 could get interesting.

With that in mind, let’s plot a potential, albeit improbable, roadmap to the Giants winning the NL West.

Next: Phase 1