"It wasn't whether they'd enter October in position to defend their World Series title, but if they could set a single-season wins record along the way. What played out instead, of course, was a disappointing regular season relative to the club's lofty preseason expectations. The team will not win 100 games, let alone the 120 that some predicted ahead of the year."
"It will not have a bye for the first round of the playoffs, having limped through much of the second half of the schedule. It did not realize the full potential of its $400 million roster, hampered by starting pitching injuries early in the year, bullpen implosions down the stretch and an extended funk from the lineup in the middle of the summer."
The Dodgers clinched their 12th National League West crown in 13 seasons with an 8-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, guaranteeing a home start in the best-of-three wild-card round. The club fell short of lofty preseason expectations, missing a 100-win season and a first-round bye after extended second-half struggles. Starting pitching injuries, late-season bullpen implosions and a prolonged offensive slump hindered the team's performance despite a roughly $400 million roster. Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the difficulty, and the team believes it is gaining momentum and entering October playing better baseball than in recent months.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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