On Saturday, the Dodgers will begin their MLB-leading 14th consecutive playoff run as they look to win the World Series for the third straight year. The last three-peat in Major League Baseball was completed by the New York Yankees between 1998 and 2000.
The Dodgers finished first in the National League West with a 100-62 record, securing a first-round bye. They will face the winner of the three-game Wild Card Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jeff Moeller, an adjunct instructor of sport public relations at the University of Southern California and former PR director for the LA Kings, thinks the Dodgers’ streak is coming to an end.
“If I were a betting man, I would bet against them,” he said. “I don’t put a lot of stock in what happened last year. That was a year ago. It’s a lot of different guys, different opponents and a lot of intangibles there.”
In the last three seasons, the Dodgers have played more games than any other MLB team and back-to-back championship runs have led to shorter offseasons for recovery. The Dodgers also hold one of the oldest rosters in the majors, averaging at 30.9 years old with many key players past thirty.
Mason Boelter, a junior computer science major and Padres fan, disagrees.
“I think the only thing that can stop the Dodgers is themselves,” Boelter said. “If they can play at all up to their potential, then that’s a wrap.”
According to ESPN, the Dodgers sit as clear favorites. But their path to get there might not be straightforward.
Currently, the Braves have a one-game lead against the Phillies. If the Braves go on to win the series, they could cause problems for the Dodgers.
In the regular season, the Dodgers dropped both series to the Braves. The Dodgers lost a series in May, before getting swept at the end of August.
Will Doherty, a junior studying business administration and a Red Sox fan, thinks the Braves will not only beat the Dodgers, but win the World Series.
“I just feel like the Dodgers are kind of due to lose,” Doherty said. “Their pitching is insane, so it’s tough to really go against, but I do think that the Braves can beat them.”
The Braves won the National League East with a 94-68 record and have a strong bullpen in Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle.
The Dodgers might wish for a matchup with the Phillies, as they have a 4-2 record against them this year.
Both the Phillies and the Braves struggled through September, with the Phillies holding a 10-14 record and the Braves going 12-12 after dropping four of their last six games. Comparatively, the Dodgers enter the postseason with plenty of momentum, going 18-7 in September and sweeping the Giants in their final regular-season series.
Moeller noted three keys to the Dodgers’ success thus far: hitting with runners in scoring position, taking advantage of opportunities such as stealing bases and luck.
“Every team that wins probably gets a few more breaks than the team that loses, so you know, a little bit of luck will help anyone,” Moeller said.
Another World Series win would make the Dodgers the third team in MLB history to win at least 10 World Series titles, joining the Yankees and the Cardinals. Completing the three-peat would also make them just the third franchise to do so, along with the New York Yankees (1936-1939, 1949-1953 and 1998-2000) and the Oakland Athletics (1972-1974).
“I would tell any Dodgers fan, ‘Do not take this for granted,’’ Moeller said. “This run is incredible, whether you’re counting World Series wins or not.”
Edited by Fashion Castillo and Leo Li