Dodgers: What the Dodgers can take away from the 2019 World Series
Home-field advantage is not important
The Dodgers saw it themselves in 2017 and 2018, and now the Astros saw it in 2019. Home-field is not important in baseball. In fact, for the first time ever, the road team won every game in a best of seven series. The Astros did not lose four straight home games during the 2019 regular season but in the World Series, that is exactly what they did.
Then there is the Nationals who won the first two games in Houston only to lose three straight at home and were sent to the brink of elimination. Then against all odds, the Nats won two straight games in Houston to finish off the Astros and win their first World Series title in their franchise history. The Dodgers shouldn’t get too serious about chasing home-field advantage next season.
If the blue end up with the best record next year then that is nice but they should rest players more often down the stretch especially Justin Turner and Clayton Kershaw. Whether that means more phantom IL stints so be it, but the Dodgers need to make sure they are fresh and healthy when the playoffs roll around.