This story was excerpted from Sonja Chen's Dodgers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here . And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Believe it or not, it's been six months since the Dodgers began their title defense across the Pacific in the Tokyo Series. The postseason begins in one week.

The Dodgers have six remaining road games in their regular-season slate. After that, they'll likely return to L.A. to host a National League Wild Card Series, beginning on Sept. 30.

In the meantime, there are quite a few intriguing storylines to monitor -- both with and without postseason implications. Here's a look at what to watch this week:

Reclaiming the West

The Dodgers have had the Padres close on their heels over the past couple of months, but they're in a good

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