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LOS ANGELES — The start of the playoff run this season is different for the Dodgers compared to their previous four National League West division titles, in that they had to wait a few days before knowing their NLDS opponent.
That opponent was determined on Wednesday night, with the Diamondbacks beating the Rockies in a thrilling NL wild card game. Heading into Wednesday, the Dodgers were simultaneously preparing for facing both teams, but now have a sole focus on Arizona.
In 2016, the Dodgers used their four off days between the end of the regular season and the start of the NLDS to prepare for the Nationals. But it was even more than that, because their matchup with Washington was locked in on Sept. 25, giving them 11 full days to prepare.
The Dodgers needed those extra days because they weren’t as intimate with Washington as they would have been with, say, a division rival they played 19 times, like the Diamondbacks.
“Last year, there wasn’t as much familiarity, to learn the hitters, the pen, their tendencies,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “Playing them six times, we needed to learn more about them. It’s completely different [this year].”
This is the second time the Dodgers will face an NL West rival in a playoff series. The first was in 1981, when they played the Astros after a season bastardized by labor discord split the year into two halves, necessitating an extra series to determine division champions.
Here is an overview look at the Dodgers and Diamondbacks heading into their National League Division Series.
Teams: Dodgers (104-58) vs. Diamondbacks (93-69)
Dodgers-Diamondbacks 2017
| Date | Location | Time (PT) |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Location | Time (PT) |
| Fri, Apr 14 | LA | 7-1 LA |
| Sat, Apr 15 | LA | 8-4 LA |
| Sun, Apr 16 | LA | 3-1 Ari |
| Mon, Apr 17 | LA | 4-2 Ari |
| Fri, Apr 21 | Ari | 13-5 Ari |
| Sat, Apr 22 | Ari | 11-5 Ari |
| Sun, Apr 23 | Ari | 6-2 LA |
| Tue, Jul 4 | LA | 4-3 LA |
| Wed, Jul 5 | LA | 1-0 LA |
| Thu, Jul 6 | LA | 5-4 LA |
| Tue, Aug 8 | Ari | 6-3 Ari |
| Wed, Aug 9 | Ari | 3-2 LA |
| Thu, Aug 10 | Ari | 8-6 LA |
| Tue, Aug 29 | Ari | 7-6 Ari |
| Wed, Aug 30 | Ari | 6-4 Ari |
| Thu, Aug 31 | Ari | 8-1 Ari |
| Mon, Sep 4 | LA | 13-0 Ari |
| Tue, Sep 5 | LA | 3-1 Ari (10) |
| Wed, Sep 6 | LA | 3-1 Ari |
| Fri, Oct 6 | LA | 7:31 p.m. |
| Sat, Oct 7 | LA | 6:08 p.m. |
| Mon, Oct 9 | Ari | TBD |
| Tue, Oct 10 * | Ari | TBD |
| Thu, Oct 12 * | LA | TBD |
Split records: Dodgers 57-24 at home, D-backs 41-40 on road
Run differential: Dodgers +190 (1st in NL), D-backs +153 (2nd in NL)
Runs scored: Dodgers 4.75 per game (6th), D-backs 5.01 (4th)
OPS+: Dodgers 103 (2nd), D-backs 93 (10th)
wRC+: Dodgers 104 (1st), D-backs 95 (8th)
Runs allowed: Dodgers 3.58 (1st), D-backs 4.07 (2nd)
ERA+: Dodgers 124 (2nd), D-backs 131 (1st)
Last 10 games^: Dodgers 8-2, D-backs 6-4
Last 20 games^: Dodgers 12-8, D-backs 11-9
Last 30 games^: Dodgers 13-17, D-backs 19-11
^of regular season
2017 head-to-head record: 11-8 D-backs (5-5 in LA)
Diamondbacks SB Nation site: AZ Snake Pit
Series schedule
Game 1: Friday, 7:31 p.m. PT (TBS)
Game 2: Saturday, 6:08 p.m. (TBS)
Game 3: Monday, TBD (TBS)
Game 4*: Tuesday, TBD (TBS)
Game 5*: Oct. 12, TBD (TBS)
*if necessary
Pitching matchups
Game 1: Clayton Kershaw vs. TBD
Game 2: Rich Hill vs. TBD
Game 3: Yu Darvish vs. TBD
Game 4: TBD vs. TBD
Game 5: TBD vs. TBD