Upon snapping a four-game losing streak, the Los Angeles Dodgers responded with four consecutive wins. They took two of three games against the Washington Nationals to create some separation in the race for the best record in the National League.
The Dodgers are unlikely to be caught by the Nationals in the standings, as they are 5.5 games ahead even with their back-to-back losses. Los Angeles is also three games ahead of the red-hot Cleveland Indians for best overall record.
Assuming they avoid a second historic slide, the Dodgers will not only secure homefield throughout the NL playoffs, but through the World Series as well.
While the merits of home-field advantage are debated in some circles, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sees importance and benefit of having that in his team’s favor, via Spectrum SportsNet LA:
“Yeah, it is. That just comes with playing good baseball. We’ve got good players, and if we play good baseball and essentially win games to have home-field advantage throughout, we play considerably better at home versus on the road.”
The Dodgers did not have home-field advantage in the 2016 NL Division Series, yet eliminated the Nationals in a dramatic Game 5. They were in the same situation against the Chicago Cubs, and were eliminated from the NL Championship Series in Game 6 at Wrigley Field.
When the Dodgers last had homefield in a playoff series — the 2015 NLDS — they were eliminated by a red-hot Daniel Murphy and New York Mets team in a decided winner-take-all game at Dodger Stadium.
They were eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals in four games in the 2014 NLDS, again despite holding home-field advantage in the first round.
Of the Dodgers’ 96 overall wins this season, 52 have come at Dodger Stadium. They boast the best home record in baseball and fourth-best road record.
