The Arizona Diamondbacks slipped to the No. 6 seed in the National League playoff bracket on the final day of the regular season, but it arguably gave them a more favorable matchup for the Wild Card Series in facing the Milwaukee Brewers rather than the Philadelphia Phillies.
That sentiment grew even more when Brandon Woodruff was left off the Brewers’ postseason roster for the best-of-three NL Wild Card Series because of a right shoulder injury.
The Diamondbacks wound up sweeping the Brewers, coming from behind in both victories. They kept that momentum against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the NL Division Series, pouncing on Clayton Kershaw in the first inning en route to an 11-2 win.
With that, the Diamondbacks tied the 2008 Dodgers for team with the lowest regular-season winning percentage (.519) to then win their first three playoff games, per ESPN stats and research.
Both the 2023 Diamondbacks and 2008 Dodgers went 84-78 during the regular season. Under MLB postseason’s format at the time, the Dodgers began their October run with an NLDS matchup against the favored Chicago Cubs, who had the best record in the NL that season at 97-64.
Although the Dodgers were the No. 3 seed in 2008, MLB postseason rules prevented the Cubs from facing the last team to make the playoffs — Brewers — because they were in the same division.
The first postseason meeting between the Cubs and Dodgers was one-sided as L.A. completed a resounding sweep to return to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 1988.
Unfortunately for the Dodgers, their postseason winning streak and October run was brought to a grinding halt by the eventual 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.
Dodgers looking to snap D-Backs streak
After losing the NLDS opener at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers now try to snap the Diamondbacks’ postseason winning streak and avoid a 2-0 series deficit before it shifts to Chase Field.
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