A six-game road trip for the Los Angeles Dodgers was comprised of matchups exclusively with National League East opponents, though clubs in vastly different positions in the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves.
While the Dodgers set multiple franchise and MLB home run records, they went a pedestrian 3-3 before returning for a homestand and series with the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. For as much intrigue as a potential World Series preview with the Yankees brings, a weekend set at SunTrust Park brought about similar interest.
As it stands, the Dodgers and Braves conceivably could meet in the NL Championship Series. The Dodgers eliminated them in four games in last year’s NL Division Series.
L.A. began the weekend with a thrilling comeback win but finished their road trip with consecutive losses. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts credited the Braves for winning the series but dismissed the idea of it serving as any sort of measuring stick for his club, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com
“Those guys came in to win a series and they played well,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose club lost its first series in nearly a month. “That was fun. But as far as a barometer, I don’t think it was. We lost a series to a good ballclub.”
With the Dodgers well on their way to a seventh consecutive NL West title, Roberts has fielded multiple questions about possible added significance to recent matchups. He was presented with the proposition before facing the St. Louis Cardinals, and again after the Dodgers swept the three games.
“For us, most times how we look at it is, you’re kind of playing against yourself,” he said earlier this month. “Obviously, there’s a different opponent every night but when we take good at-bats, when we play defense, run the bases well, pitch well, I’ll take our chances against anybody.
“So I don’t think that any team is a barometer for us. I think we kind of set the bar.”
Even with the back-to-back losses, the Dodgers won four of seven meetings with the Braves this season. Furthermore, Atlanta remains eight games back of L.A. for the top seed and home-field advantage through the NL playoffs.
