The Los Angeles Dodgers saw their season come to an end Saturday night as they were defeated by the Chicago Cubs, 5-0, in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. The Cubs advanced to their first World Series since 1945, and will face the Cleveland Indians, beginning Tuesday.
While it did not end the way they had hoped, the Dodgers’ season was a successful one. Los Angeles won the NL West a fourth straight season for the first time in franchise history. Prior to their 2013-16 run, they hadn’t won the division more than two years in a row.
The Dodgers also became the first team in NL West history to win the division in four consecutive seasons.
That was despite using 55 different players and 31 different pitchers this season to overcome recurring injuries. Both numbers tied team records.
The Dodgers broke a Major League record by placing 28 different players on the disabled list this season. Their starting rotation was hardly a rotation.
After Saturday’s loss the Dodgers released a video with highlights from the 2016 season, and a number of members from the organization, including manager Dave Roberts and Clayton Kershaw, thanked the fans, via the club’s official Twitter account:
Thank you, Dodger fans. #WeLoveOurFans pic.twitter.com/9HQlGrl8u4
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 23, 2016
The Dodgers were eight games behind the rival San Francisco Giants on June 26 when Clayton Kershaw suffered a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite losing their ace for 75 days, Los Angeles pressed ahead, and on the day they clinched the division, sat eight games ahead of the Giants.
Clinching the division set up a date with the Washington Nationals in the NL Division Series. Despite falling down 2-1 in the series, the Dodgers never gave up hope and behind the arms of Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen and others, came back to defeat the Nationals in five games.
Despite losing to the Cubs in the NLCS, there’s reason for the Dodgers to be optimistic moving forward as their young players made significant contributions throughout the year. That being said, significant free-agent questions lie ahead.
