What is happening to the Los Angeles Dodgers?
The Los Angeles Dodgers have now dropped 14 of their last 15 games. Is there cause to be concerned heading into the postseason?
What in the world is going on with the Los Angeles Dodgers? The once clear-cut favorite to not only win the National League, but possibly the Fall Classic is in the midst of a 10-game skid, and have lost 14 of their last 15. Which poses the real question to address here: Did we honestly think the Dodgers would continue to play at this rate for the entire season?
Folks, baseball is a beautiful game and if there is one thing I have witnessed in my lifetime, it’s if you peak too early you’re doomed for the remainder of the season. It feels like yesterday when the 2013 Atlanta Braves seemed destined for a long overdue playoff run. They put together a 14-game win streak, but it was August and like I said, they peaked too early. The rest of the season wrote itself as they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opening divisional round.
The Dodgers, bar none, put together one of the most statistically sound and impressive runs in recent memory. They were on track to tie if not beat the 2001 Seattle Mariners and 1906 Chicago Cubs regular season record of 116 wins. Sadly, the Mariners that season fell to the New York Yankees, but could the same fate await the Dodgers?
In their recent losing streak the Dodgers haven’t just lost to teams that aren’t in contention, but they’ve lost to potential playoff opponents in the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks. Both the Rockies and Diamondbacks swept the Dodgers handsomely, and Arizona swept them twice in one week!
There are plenty of things to blame for the Dodgers’ current collapse, but the pitching is most certainly not helping. In the last seven games the Dodgers have a 6.25 ERA, and their bats have put up a decent .279 team batting average.
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One of the dangers of their skid is the Washington Nationals, who have been red-hot as they finish out their NL East slate of games. The Nationals currently sit 3.5 game behind L.A. in the National League playoff picture, and that means trouble for this struggling Dodgers team.
With only a few weeks remaining, the Dodgers will have to play against the Washington Nationals and the Colorado Rockies, and they cannot afford to get swept by either team heading into October. With all of the injuries that have plagued the Dodgers as of late, this could spell disaster heading into the postseason.
The National League playoffs are projected to consist of the Washington Nationals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and the World Series-defending Chicago Cubs. Obviously, the Rockies and Diamondbacks will play a winner-take-all Wild Card Game, but if the Dodgers hold on to the top seed they will be forced to play against a squad that has their number.
Next: Who wins final NL Wild Card?
The Dodgers have been incredibly impressive, and don’t misunderstand me when I say that they could easily turn it around given their star-studded starting rotation, but the clock is ticking. With the playoff picture becoming clearer heading into the final weeks of September, the Dodgers are in serious danger of becoming the next example of peaking too soon.