There’s simply no stopping the Los Angeles Dodgers from ruling over the National League West.
Even in a season where a lot went wrong, the Dodgers locked up the division title on Thursday night with three days to spare. It’s the 12th time in the last 13 years that LA has ruled the roost out West, and the one year they didn’t, they won 106 games and finished one game back of the San Francisco Giants, whom they promptly beat in the playoffs.
After downing the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night for the clincher, manager Dave Roberts was aware that this team hasn’t quite been the juggernaut many expected it to be.
However, Roberts also was proud of the resolve his team has shown, because he feels that every night, the Dodgers are getting the other team’s best shot.
“It’s no secret that you either love or hate the Dodgers, and every team we play, they’re doing everything they can to beat us,” Roberts said, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. “That’s part of what we signed up for, but it takes a tax. It’s a toll, it’s tough every day to bring your best when you know that other teams are bringing their best.
“We have an opportunity to make history. It hasn’t been easy, but that’s part of it. It shouldn’t be easy.”
Predicted by many to win 110 games, perhaps more, the Dodgers instead entered play on Friday with a record of 90-69. And for the first time in the expanded playoff format, they’ll be forced to play a best-of-three series in the wild-card round to advance to the NL Division Series.
Last year, it took 11 wins for the Dodgers to win their second World Series title this decade. This year, it will take 13.
Still, Roberts believes facing adversity to this point could help the Dodgers claw their way through October.
“Even when it was our darkest, I just always saw our guys stay together and compete. I believe the talent with the fight is going to show through October,” Roberts said, per Ardaya.
A three-game series with the Seattle Mariners awaits this weekend, but soon, the Dodgers will know which team is coming to Chavez Ravine on Tuesday.
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