The Los Angeles Dodgers finished with the best record in Major League Baseball this season that guarantees them home-field advantage through the World Series.
As a result, the Dodgers also clinched a first-round bye in the postseason for the third consecutive year. They will resume play on Saturday, Oct. 5, for Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium against either the San Diego Padres or Atlanta Braves.
In the meantime, Max Muncy, Will Smith and Miguel Rojas organized watch parties for the Wild Card Series so players and coaches can continue bonding during the Dodgers’ layoff, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
The five-day layoff breaks the daily nature of life for baseball teams in many ways. At the suggestion of a few players (Roberts credited Muncy, catcher Will Smith and Rojas), the Dodgers will have team “watch parties” on Tuesday and Wednesday to follow the Wild Card Series and keep the team bond tight.
The Dodgers are taking two days off before resuming team workouts on Wednesday, which is a change from past years when the club prepared for the NLDS only one day after their regular-season finale.
The Dodgers also plan to stay fresh by hitting off advanced pitching robots that can replicate any Major League pitcher, including their windup, velocity and arm angle.
The team will play some intrasquad games as well, but that will entail facing pitchers from Triple-A Oklahoma City as opposed to their own players.
Dave Roberts: Dodgers’ best record ‘really satisfying’
The Dodgers’ path to clinching the best record in baseball was much different this year as the team had to constantly navigate through injuries and overcome adversity.
Given those reasons, manager Dave Roberts believes the accomplishment was more gratifying than past seasons.
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