After beating the Washington Nationals on Sunday, the Dodgers magic number to win the National League West title is six.
But it looks like the Dodgers will need more than magic to make a successful playoff run.
Injuries and pitching problems, mainly the arrest and suspension of Julio Urias, has made the staff extremely thin. Reinforcements aren’t coming any time soon either with news of Walker Buehler missing the remainder of the season recovering from surgery.
That leaves Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller and Lance Lynn to hold down the rotation in the playoffs.
Ryan Pepiot and perhaps Ryan Yarbrough will fill in when needed. It’s not a promising playoff picture, and not the rotation the Dodgers had in mind for October.
It’s a sad time for the Dodgers. Even the weather in Washington, D.C., was dark and gloomy.
All three games against the Nationals were delayed by rain. The game on Saturday was delayed by four hours. The Dodgers ended up losing that one 7-6 in 11 innings.
The Dodgers went 3-3 on their road trip last week to Miami and Washington. The Dodgers lost two of three games to the Marlins and won two of three games against the Nationals.
It was a rough road trip for the Dodgers.
“I think right now we're all emotionally (and) physically spent,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the Associated Press after Sunday’s game. “Happy to come away with what we did on this road trip and get home and get back to some good weather.”
But it was quite a weekend for Freddie Freeman.
The Dodgers All Star first baseman broke the franchise record for doubles in a season. He hit his 53rd double of the season in Friday’s game. The Dodgers won, 8-5. Freeman broke the Dodgers record set by Johnny Fredrickson in 1929. Fredrickson, who hit 52 doubles in the 1929 season, still holds the record for most doubles in a season by a rookie.
Freeman hit another double in Saturday’s game to give him 54 with 20 games left to play. The National League record for doubles in a season is 64, set by Joe Medwick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936.
Earl Webb of the Boston Red Sox has the major league record for doubles in a season with 67 set in 1931.
For good measure, Freeman went 2-for-4 and scored two runs in Sunday’s game to raise his batting average to .336.
James Outman hit his 19th home run of the season to improve his case for National League Rookie of the Year.
And Max Muncy hit his 34th home run of the season in Saturday’s game. It was a two-run shot in the eighth inning.
At least the hitters are providing a little sunshine for Dodgers fans.
Dodgers starter power rankings:
- Ryan Pepiot
- Ryan Yabrough
- Clayton Kershaw
- Emmet Sheehan
- Bobby Miller
The Dodgers (87-55) start a three-game series with the San Diego Padres tonight and head to Seattle for a three-game weekend series with the Mariners.
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