The Dodgers 2023 season is over. After a magical regular season that saw the club win 100 games once again, the roster put together its worst postseason effort in decades. They were swept by the 84 win Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2022 the Dodgers at least won a game and in 2019, that team at least took it to a game 5.
This is going to be another loss that is tough to bounce back from. It’s also one that could actually spark seismic change from this Dodger organization. After the 4-2 loss in Arizona, a dejected Dave Roberts admitted he’s got to do more to get his players ready for the animal that is the MLB Postseason.
“It doesn’t matter if it was a seven-game series, we lost the first three games. For me, I’ve got to do a better job of figuring out a way to get our guys prepared for the postseason. I’ll own that. I think we’ve got great players. I’ve got to figure out a way to get these guys prepared for whatever format, whatever series. Yeah, the regular season, I think we do a great job. But the last couple of postseasons it just hasn’t gone well for us and so I’ve got to figure it out.”
Now, one correlation to what Dave is saying and what the Dodgers have faced is the new five day lay off for top-seeded teams as the postseason begins. The Dodgers are not the only team that has struggled with the layoff. The 101 win Baltimore Orioles, for example, were swept by the Wild Card Texas Rangers this year.
Last year, the LA offense struggled in a four game series loss against the San Diego Padres.
What exactly the manager can do to fix something like keeping a team ready over a long layoff is tough to figure out. And this Dodger front office is going to spend the next few weeks think tanking what they can do differently. Or what they should do differently this winter when it comes to the leadership of this team in the dugout.
For now, we say congratulations to the Arizona Diamondbacks for advancing to the National League Championship Series.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports