Dodgers: Waiting for NLCS Opponent

Washington Nationals

If the Dodgers happen to face the Nationals, you can bet your money on a showdown for the ages. For those Nationals who had to swallow a tough pill last year when they were eliminated by the Dodgers in the NLDS, there is only revenge for Washington to be had. Or so they think…

We can acknowledge the fact that the Nationals were a great team this year, but that was expected. But the Dodgers are better. Unfortunately for Washington, they appear to lack the look of a true championship competitor. That may be in part because their season went under the radar since they didn’t dominate as the Dodgers did during the regular season. Or perhaps they just they had it too easy – that only being considered because they were the only team in the NL East with a winning percentage above .500.

The bats from one to five of their Game Four lineup finished Wednesday with a combined batting average of .117. That includes their top studs of Tree Turner, Jayson Werth, Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, and Daniel Murphy. Their bullpen may not look that strong either, it has improved since the start of the year; but there is no way to utilize its full value if they are unable to score runs. If they pull together another win to advance but are unable to wake up their bats in-time for Game One, Kershaw he might work a masterpiece on them as he did with his lone start of 2017 where he went 7.0 innings with 1 ER and 3 H and 9 K.