The Los Angeles Dodgers saw their 2017 season end in heartbreaking fashion as they were defeated by the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium in Game 7 of the World Series. The loss prevented the franchise from claiming their first championship since 1988.
All of that is behind them now, as a new season has gotten underway. Though, there was a final bit of celebration on Saturday as the Dodgers received their 2017 National League Championship Series rings.
As for matters on the field, this season didn’t exactly get off to a good start. Los Angeles as shut out by the San Francisco Giants in each of their first two games, losing 1-0 on both occasions, thanks to Joe Panik home runs.
They were finally able to get into the win column on Saturday, as the Dodgers pitching staff combined for a shutout in a 5-0 win.
Dodgers utility-man-turned-second-baseman Kiké Hernandez may have an explanation for the team’s slow start to the season at the plate. He doesn’t believe they have quite gotten back into the groove of things coming off the World Series loss, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“I don’t know if it’s because the last time we were here we were playing the World Series, but this feels really weird,” Hernandez said, searching for an explanation to the sluggish start offensively. “Doesn’t feel like it’s the regular season yet. It’s time. Let’s go. If there’s something I’ve learned over the years playing baseball, it’s there’s no on and off button.”
Even though they scored five runs on Saturday, the Dodgers didn’t exactly knock the cover off the ball as they only managed four hits. Hernandez had one of those, hitting a double in the first inning, marking the Dodgers first extra-base hit of the season. He self-proclaimed himself the ‘Captain of the Slug Club’ after the game.
Slow starts are not something the Dodgers have been immune to in recent years, as despite winning 104 games last year, they started off the season 8-10. So it is not quite time to panic yet in Los Angeles.
