The 88-win Atlanta Braves have home-field advantage over the 106-win Los Angeles Dodgers for the NLCS.
Wait … is that a typo? We gotta flip those teams around, right?
Somehow, even after the Dodgers’ NLDS win over the Giants, many forgot that LA still didn’t have home-field advantage for the remainder of the postseason (unless they’re to face the Red Sox in the World Series) because they lost the NL West by one game to San Fran.
Unfortunately, because of MLB’s playoff format, even though the Dodgers were the second-best team in MLB, there’s a chance they will have fewer home games against an 88-win team AND a 95-win team (the Astros).
Admittedly, it’s awful to think about, but if there’s one person that can make fans feel better about it, it’s Max Scherzer, who couldn’t be concerned any less based on his comments ahead of Game 1 vs the Braves.
Max Scherzer isn’t worried about the Dodgers not having home-field advantage.
Either a brilliant strategy from whomever asked Scherzer this question … or a complete lack of ability to read the room. We’ll go with the former, though, because we love the type of energy that was birthed from a disheartening topic of conversation since the Dodgers spent almost all of 2021 chasing the Giants.
This is the kind of mindset the team needs because they are better than all of their remaining opponents, both statistically and on paper. Why have a pouty attitude when you can just maintain your status as the best and reinforce that idea by taking care of business regardless of the circumstances?
That’s how Scherzer’s approaching it, as he’s ascended to become one of the outspoken team leaders despite being with the Dodgers for only two and a half months. Look at his influence already. He convinced manager Dave Roberts to bring him in for the save for Game 5 of the NLDS. He’s stolen headlines with his celebrations and passionate/hilarious reactions throughout the team’s playoff run.
Do the defending champs even need home-field advantage? Somebody follow up and ask Scherzer that question next time he takes the podium.
Los Angeles Dodgers: NLDS Review by the Numbers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have defeated the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS, so let's take a look at how it all happened with a review.