Is a long playoff run for the Dodgers in the Cards?

Bring on the Cardinals.

The Dodgers will play the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday in the National League wild card round of the playoffs.

The Dodgers won a franchise record 106 games and it wasn’t good enough to win the National League West championship. Not this year. The surprising San Francisco Giants won 107 games and will avoid the wild card round. 

Thank goodness the Dodgers are in the playoffs. Now their season comes down to one game, against a team that has ruined many a Dodgers playoff runs in the past.

Memories of Jack Clark and Ozzie Smith haunt more seasoned Dodger fans. 

Michael Wacha and David Freese ruined the World Series aspirations of the 2013 Dodgers more recently. That was also the series Joe Kelley, pitching for the Cardinals, drilled Hanley Ramirez in the ribs and took him out of the series. There were a couple of Cardinals on that team that ended up becoming fan favorites on the Dodgers. 

But real Dodger fans never forget.

Adam Wainright, who was one of those Cardinal pitchers who shut down the Dodgers in the past, will start the wild card game on Wednesday against Max Scherzer.

When Trea Turner was asked about Scherzer after the final game of the regular season on Sunday, Turner said, “He’s already angry.”

An angry Scherzer is a motivated Scherzer. The Dodgers will need that kind of energy in the wild card game.

The Cardinals went on a 17-game winning streak in September to move into the second wild card spot and make the playoffs.

As incredible a run as that was, the Cardinals finished the regular season going 2-3 in their last five games, including dropping two of three to their longtime rival Chicago Cubs. 

Meanwhile, the Dodgers, with hopes of winning the National League West championship, won the last seven games of the season and nine of their last 10 games, to secure the top wild card spot. 

The Cardinals were the hottest team in baseball in September. But the Dodgers have been harder to beat than the Cardinals over the past 10 games.

It looks like the Dodgers will have to keep up that energy without Max Muncy though. The Dodgers first baseman, one of the most steady and reliable Dodgers in 2021, hurt his elbow in the season finale against the Milwaukee Brewers and won’t be available for the wild card game.

In addition, Clayton Kershaw left his last start of the season on Friday night with an injured forearm and was placed on the 10-day injured list.

The Dodgers will be without two key starters for the playoffs. The Dodgers have overcome a series of injuries to make it this far. What’s two more?

It could be the difference between making it to the World Series and seeing their playoff run end on Wednesday.

It’s do or die time for the Dodgers with the vaunted Giants waiting in the National League Division Series.

But first things first. Bring on the Cardinals.

Dodger starting pitching power rankings:

1. Julio Urias
2. Max Scherzer
3. Walker Buehler
4. Tony Gonsolin
5. Clayton Kershaw

The Dodgers finished with a 106-56 record. Trea Turner won the National League batting title at .328. Juilo Urias was the leader in the National League in wins with 20. Max Scherzer was second in the National League in ERA at 2.46 and second in strikeouts with 236.