The Los Angeles Dodgers are in a different position than in recent seasons as they maintain only a slim lead in the National League West standings this late in the year.
Juggling the health of the roster, their current group has played middling ball for a few months. That’s allowed the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres to close the distance as both have found their stride since the All-Star break.
“We’re very aware of it,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the NL West race. “I’d be lying if I said no one is watching the scoreboard and appreciating how good the rest of the teams in our division are playing. So that just puts the onus on us to play good baseball.
“I think we do have a very good mind to go out there and take care of business, win baseball games. We’re certainly aware.”
The rise in play from both of their division opponents isn’t a shock to the Dodgers, but they’re trying to maintain a clear view on what is still to come with their own unit.
“I think we all know they’re playing good baseball,” said Freddie Freeman. “I don’t think that surprises anybody in here. And I think we knew this was going to be a good division, good race throughout the year. If we’re worrying about other teams in the first 10 days of August, we’re not doing the right thing.
“We need to worry about ourselves, getting some guys back here in the next week and a half, start playing some better baseball and see where we’re at in five, six weeks.”
Freeman noted that the Dodgers are eager to get Mookie Betts back in the lineup, seeing as he’s a big part of why they’re successful. Max Muncy and Tommy Edman are in the same boat, but neither will be activated until the Dodgers are back from their road trip.
“I mean, we’re excited, but until they come back, we can’t really worry about that,” Freeman added. “We got the guys in this clubhouse, and they’re not here for this series. We got to worry about these games.”
Early on in the season the Dodgers had the luxury of a solid division lead and were ahead by as many as 9.5 games in July. But for all the attention the NL West race has received, the Dodgers enter play on Tuesday with the best record in the league.
NL West race impacting Dodgers’ pitching decisions
In the early months of the season Roberts might have pulled a starter on a limited pitch count. But, if the feel for the game is there, and the team requires a bit of a longer run, all things need to be considered.
Being aware of the health aspect is great and should be taken into account, but without the big NL West lead, Roberts admitted in-game moves are influenced a bit by standings.
“I think there’s probably something to that,” he said. “Winning games is obviously paramount, but so is the pitcher’s health. So I think in that vain, the question is, how much do you push a starter? How much do you push a reliever as far as usage, up-downs and things like that?
“Their health is extremely important, but yeah, with where we’re at, in a legitimate pennant race, that’s certainly front of mind too.”
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