The Phoenix With 100 victories during the regular season, the Dodgers were full of confidence going into 2017 series. After losing to the Padres in the 2022 National League Division Series, they were prepared to let go of the resentment that followed them throughout the winter.
Although the Dodgers’ October pitching strategy would vary, their “big-boy stuff” would still be plenty. Their offense, which included two NL MVP contenders in Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, scored more than 900 runs.
Ultimately, it was insufficient. For the Dodgers, it was just another disappointing postseason result. Their season came to an end in October after just three games, as they lost Game 3 of the NLDS on Wednesday at Chase Field to the D-backs 4-2.
Mookie Betts on postseason elimination
The Dodgers have now lost three of the previous five NLDS series despite winning 100 games or more in each of the previous four complete regular seasons. Since the NLDS versus the Mets in 2006, this is the first time the Dodgers have lost a series against the other team.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed his disappointment, saying, “It’s just a lot.” And I have faith in each and every one of those men. That team across there beat us at baseball. I am able to respond to inquiries concerning the game itself, but in the end, they simply outperformed us in every aspect of it.
Clayton Kershaw on loss, sweep
This time around, the Dodgers have a lot of people to blame. The Dodgers were forced to patch things together after Julio Urías was placed on paid administrative leave in August due to domestic abuse allegations and they failed to acquire a top target in a lackluster trade market. But those pitching strategies ultimately backfired heavily on the Dodgers.
Maybe establishing the tone for the remainder of the series, Clayton Kershaw gave up six runs and recorded just one out in Game 1. In Game 2, Bobby Miller didn’t fare much better, allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings. With their season in jeopardy on Wednesday, they looked to Lance Lynn, the Major League pitcher with the highest number of home runs allowed during the regular season—44.
Lance Lynn on Game 3 loss
When they acquired right-hander Lynn from the White Sox in late July, the Dodgers were hoping for more “luck” in home runs. That never materialized because Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte, Christian Walker, and Gabriel Moreno each blasted four solo home runs in the third inning, forcing Lynn to surrender.
D-backs’ historic 3rd inning
The Dodgers starting rotation gave up just 4 2/3 innings and given up 13 runs in three games. Elias claims that in the first three games of a series, that is the fewest innings pitched by a starting rotation in postseason history.
Kershaw remarked, “It’s disappointing no matter how it ends if you don’t win the whole thing.” “It’s obvious that this one hurts a lot just from the way it happened. They had excellent play. They pitched and hit well. Yes, I agree; I’m at a loss for words. Clearly a dismal conclusion.
Lance Lynn strikes out Longoria
But the previous two losses in the series were mostly the result of the offense, even though the beginning staff found it difficult to contain big innings. As two of the best performers in the Major Leagues, Freeman and Betts ought to place among the top four contenders for the NL MVP award. Still, the two superstars chose the worst time to falter.
“Irritating,” Freeman remarked. “A lot of us, including myself, didn’t play to our full potential. They simply outplayed us and won all three games.
Throughout the series, Betts and Freeman only went 1-for-21 with no extra-base hits, going 0-for-8 in Game 3. With the tying run on base and the Dodgers down two runs in the eighth, Betts and Freeman had an opportunity to make a big hit. Rather, they both lost badly to Kevin Ginkel, a right-hander. This is the first postseason empty-handed season that Betts has experienced in his career.
“They pitched the ball really well, and I feel like I prepared the right way, but I just didn’t execute anything,” Betts remarked. “I didn’t do anything to help the team, so I didn’t score many runs either.”
The Dodgers’ current postseason losing run of six games is the second-longest in team history. They made history by being the first club in MLB history to have three straight seasons with 100 wins without making it to the World Series. Furthermore, a lot of uncertainties remain about the team’s future.
Given that he missed the entire second half of the season due to a left shoulder ailment, Kershaw is once again a free agent and may decide to retire. They will need to decide what to do with Max Muncy’s team choice. Only Ryan Pepiot, Emmet Sheehan, and a healthy Walker Buehler are scheduled to start for them as pitchers. David Peralta, Jason Heyward, Kiké Hernández, and J.D. Martinez are all unrestricted free agents.
Los Angeles will undoubtedly be interested in signing Shohei Ohtani, a two-way superstar. However, given that the free agency class is looking good, perhaps its focus should be on adding depth to the starting pitching staff.
It will be interesting to watch what the Dodgers decide to do this winter. However, following yet another early playoff elimination, they must reconsider whether building a stronger roster in the off-season could produce better outcomes come October.
It turned out the same way this year, and Los Angeles is set for another long winter.
“I think we do a great job during the regular season,” Roberts remarked. “But we haven’t played well in the last two postseasons, so I need to figure it out.”