LA Dodgers’ Playoff Push Takes a Hit After Loss to Padres
Even though they won on Wednesday, the LA Dodgers will still need some time to recover from their loss to the Padres on Tuesday. The Dodgers began the day by informing Clayton Kershaw and Gavin Stone of some unfortunate news.
They had to rely on a rookie, who has been moved up and down six times this year, to start against the Padres, a team just three games behind in the division standings.
Landon Knack allowed four runs in four innings, enough for San Diego to secure the win despite a disastrous bottom of the ninth inning, during which Miguel Rojas hit into a triple play after the Dodgers instructed him to bunt, only to switch their strategy.
However, that was not the only thing that went awry that evening. The ambiance at Dodger Stadium resembled that of a playoff match, and the Dodgers appeared just as formidable as they did in the postseason last season.
Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman failed to get a hit, and the Dodgers’ hitters went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, a lingering issue for the team this season.
If the playoffs were to begin the next day, the LA Dodgers would automatically advance to the Division Series while the Padres and Diamondbacks would compete in the Wild Card round.
The Dodgers have a .264 batting average with runners in scoring position, which is decent, but the Padres have a .274 average and the D-backs have a .284 average. San Diego and Arizona both have higher team averages overall — ranking first and second in the league, respectively.
Are the Dodgers Already Collapsing in the Postseason?
In the NLDS last year, the LA Dodgers struggled to reach base which made it difficult to score runs initially. Their team’s batting average was .177 compared to the Diamondbacks’ .284, and they were behind by 13 runs in the three-game series.
Betts only walked once and didn’t reach base otherwise, while Freeman walked two times and had one hit. The Dodgers only managed to get three additional base hits and one home run, which was hit by JD Martinez.
The LA Dodgers kept up their solid hitting against the Padres this week, a positive indicator, but still left 10 baserunners stranded in the disappointing first game.
Fans of the Padres have already begun to mock the idea that the Dodgers are already collapsing in the postseason, and if the Dodgers don’t win the final series decisively, it will be difficult to argue against that notion.
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My name is Krishanu Das the founder of the Sports Dribble.
I am Accountant by profession but a Sports Blogger by passion.
I am passionate about sharing my all knowledge and experiences of sports, with my readers and every sports enthusiast.
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