Dodgers’ August surge paved way for epic division battle with Giants

The Los Angeles Dodgers avoided the dog days of summer in the month of August and began their charge toward their ninth-straight NL West title. They went 21-6 (.778), their fourth-best August since they moved to Los Angeles, and climbed from five games out of first to finish the month just a half-game out.

On Wednesday night, they took a half-game lead when they swept the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants lost to the Milwaukee Brewers. A Giants win on Thursday, however, now has things all knotted up at 85-49.

The Dodgers’ August surge was a three-pronged attack, incorporating their other big trade acquisition Trea Turner, their dominant starting rotation, and the reversal of a worrisome trend of losing one-run games.

So where do we begin?

Trea Turner: The Other Guy

When the blockbuster deal between the Dodgers and Washington Nationals took place at the trade deadline, the most talked-about aspect was the addition of starter MaxScherzer. Adding a future Hall of Famer is certainly going to garner a ton of news, but Turner’s arrival could be considered equally impactful from an offensive/defensive perspective.

In the 25 games since Turner joined the lineup, the Dodgers have gone 19-6. In their previous 25 games, they were under .500 at 12-13. In August, Turner led the Dodgers in hitting (.319) and stolen bases (5) and was second on the team in runs scored (17). He’s been a catalyst on offense at the top of the lineup and his versatility on defense can help Dave Roberts craft a number of top-notch lineup cards.

The Big Three

When the Dodgers brought in Scherzer, they filled a giant need following the injuries to Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May as well as the investigation that’s kept Trevor Bauer out of baseball.

In five August starts Scherzer went 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA, while striking out 41 and walking just four. The Dodgers were surely expecting big things from the right-hander, but this is a best-case scenario so far.

Walker Beuhler and Julio Urias joined Scherzer in having an outstanding August, helping form a “Big Three” in the rotation. Beuhler went 2-1 in six starts with a 1.56 ERA and 41 strikeouts while Urias went 3-0 in five starts, posting a 1.38 ERA with 28 strikeouts. As of this moment, these three will be expected to carry the Dodgers through October given the uncertainty surrounding Kershaw.

Trending Up: One-Run Wins

On August 12, the Dodgers lost 2-1 to the Philadelphia Phillies, dropping their record in one-run games to 13-21. Across the rest of the month, the Dodgers went 7-0 in one-run games and 3-0 in extra-inning games.

One of their strengths in tight contests was their strong bullpen. Throughout the month, the unit went 22-24 in save opportunities, and in their seven one-run games, logged 28 total innings and maintained a 2.25 ERA.

If you believe in “clutch” and one-run games as measures of a team’s success in October, the Dodgers have certainly turned around the narrative thanks to their best month of the season. Now, it all comes down to September.

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