Will Left Handed Pitching Burn the Dodgers

Can the Los Angeles Dodgers win the Fall Classic despite not being able to hit water if they fell out of a boat against left handed pitching?  That is a major question going around in Dodgers fans minds. 

The Dodgers own a league worst team line of .215/295/.337 vs. LHP entering Sunday’s game.  If they make to post-season, I can see a lot of teams throwing left handed relievers against them after their starters go out.  In the case of the Dodgers facing a left-handed starter, the bats will have to wake up from their slumber to get to the opposing teams bullpen. The Dodgers are 18-21 when a southpaw starts against them.

The Dodgers can win the World Series even with the left-handed issue, but some things need to fall into place. The rotation which will be fronted by Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, and Kenta Maeda so far will have to outpitch their opponent. The Dodgers will also need to put out a productive line-up card. That job should fall into the hands of Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts but who knows.

The Boys in Blue have tried the all right handed line-up against left-handers with no success this season.  It’s time now with the playoffs looming is to stick with your most productive line-up even if it’s against a leftie because nothing else has worked.  During the trade deadline the Dodgers needed to add a right handed bat to help with this issue. The front office failed to land a right handed bat. Although they did try to land Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun recently.

The Dodgers will need to have substantial at-bats against left-handed starters like I mentioned before to get to the other teams bullpen.  Another strategy would be to beat the right-handed starters they do face so when the face a left-hander it’s hopefully not a must win situation.  Low and behold maybe the Dodgers hitters should actually think of hitting against left-handers so this won’t be a major concern.

Next: Dodgers Drop Finale in Arizona

Yasiel Puig, who is still with the Dodgers having survived his demotion to the minor leagues and the trade deadlines might be a major factor for the Dodgers in this postseason.  Puig was the rumored name to headline the potential Braun deal that never came to fruition. In this postseason, Puig, as well as Howie Kendrick and Justin Turner who are the best right handed hitters they have need to be productive against left-handers for the Dodgers to have success.

The x-factor will be Corey Seager, who can hit anyone in baseball. Luckily for the Dodgers, the four most likely postseason rivals in the National League (Washington, Chicago, New York and St. Louis) run mostly right-handed pitchers. The only noteworthy left-handers they need to worry about are Washington’s Gio Gonzalez and Chicago’s Jon Lester. Maybe that will be the key for the Dodgers to avoid the big elephant in the room.

So for the Dodgers to end their World Series drought, they will have to overcome this glaring weakness in their arsenal. Dodger fans want another fall classic memory other then Kirk Gibson‘s home run in 1988.