The Dodgers ended the season in a bang but failed to defeat the then-champion Washington Nationals in the 2019 National League Division Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were sitting at the top of the National League with a 106-56 record. They have won seven straight games, including 8 of the last 10 games going into the postseason. The Dodgers were eyeing their third straight trip to the World Series Championship.
The Dodgers had an impressive 59-22 record at home. They recently became the first team this season to clinch a division. They have been the National League Champions for seven straight years, clicking it out in the west two weeks into the season.
The 2019 Dodgers were an unstoppable force. They have been mowed down everything that stood in their way. But there were a lot of doubts if this is the season that they will win a championship.
The team has been struggling to win twice in the World Series Championship. The 2019 squad has been better since their reign began in 2013. Today’s squad led in runs per game, on-base percentage, home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS+.
Cody Bellinger was on a mission. He had an MVP season as he led the Dodgers to their best record today. He led this offensive juggernaut that seemed to have no flaws on the offensive side.
So what went wrong for the dominant team?
The Dodgers have a pitching problem. There has been a usual miscommunication from the team when it comes to pitching. Their rotation has been going haywire. There was a discussion on whether Hyun-jin Ryu should probably get a rest before the World Series started.
The pitchers also got fatigued, and fans are used to Octobers in which they score big. However, all-star closer Kenley Jansen has been lately inconsistent. The Dodgers needed to rely on their supporting cast. They failed to give the team the necessary push it needs if they are to win in a game.
There were no more surrounding problems for the Dodgers other than those. They were set to make another appearance at the World Series Championship. Many thought that it would be a rematch against a rival in the Astros, the top leading team in the whole MLB, and the one who defeated them back in the 2017 championships. The Astros were better than the Dodgers in any stat available.
The Astros have a run differential of +280 compared to the Dodgers’ +273. They are always one step ahead of the Dodgers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were hoping that it is the time where they will come to end their 31-year championship drought. The team fell short against the Nationals, and the latter then went on to win the title in an epic game seven against the Astros.
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