The Los Angeles Dodgers were a juggernaut in the regular season each of the past two years, only to then get eliminated in the National League Division Series both times.
Last October’s defeat was all the more stunning in that the Dodgers were swept in the NLDS by the Diamondbacks. That came after winning eight of 13 head-to-head meetings during the regular season, including five in a row. Arizona snuck into the playoffs as the last Wild Card team while the Dodgers ran away with another NL West title.
The three games at Chase Field this week represented the first meeting between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks since their NLDS matchup. Manager Dave Roberts, Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman each dismissed the idea that the Dodgers were interested in exacting some revenge.
Roberts further elaborated that when reflecting on postseason shortcomings the last two years, he and the Dodgers feel frustration from their own poor performances than anything specific their opponents did, via SportsNet LA
“I think that is the right way to look at it and I think that is the way we look at it. Because there’s a lot of things that over the years, we’ve lost a playoff series and it’s more about how we played. So I don’t look at it as, ‘Every team that’s beat us, we’ve got to get revenge on them. I just really wholeheartedly believe it’s about what we’re doing, is most important.”
The Dodgers are a combined 1-6 in their last two trips to the postseason. They defeated the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the 2022 NLDS, only to then suffer three consecutive losses. Like with the Diamondbacks last year, the Dodgers dominated their regular season series against the Padres before playoff failure arrived.
Although there was external talk and questions of potentially seeking revenge against the Diamondbacks, fact of the matter is the teams have trended in different directions so far this season.
Dodgers embracing World Series expectations
The Dodgers have faced World Series pressure — or expectations — for several years, but those have seemingly increased this season with the additions of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Teoscar Hernández.
Yet, Roberts and multiple players have refuted the notion that there is more pressure on the team this year.
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