The Los Angeles Dodgers have been on a roll since the middle of May, winning 22 of their last 31 games and nine of 10 series during that timeframe.
It marks a dramatic turnaround since the early portion of the season, when Los Angeles concluded the month of April with a disappointing 12-16 record in the midst of an abundance of injuries and underperformance.
While many wrote off the Dodgers around that time, manager Dave Roberts remained confident that his team would claw back into contention. He declared that Los Angeles would ultimately win their sixth consecutive National League West title when it was all said and done.
The Dodgers have since gained substantial ground in the division standings and now find themselves a mere 2.5 games back of the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks.
Following a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field — a potential playoff preview — Roberts stopped short of predicting they would again meet in the NLCS but claimed his team would play October baseball, via Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
“We’re going to be somewhere in October,” Roberts said. “I can’t speak to who the opponent will be. But we’ll be somewhere.”
It certainly wouldn’t be surprising if the Dodgers and Cubs once again meet up in the postseason for a third consecutive year. Both organizations are often compared to each other, given their many similarities from talent level to front offices.
While the Cubs got the best of the Dodgers this time around, Roberts came away “feeling good” with his team’s efforts after a competitive series.
Cubs infielder Javier Baez was also complimentary of the Dodgers, praising them for a recent hot stretch and overall talent on the roster. The Dodgers and Cubs will next face one another at Dodger Stadium for a four-game series that begins June 25.
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