A look at Dodgers postseason history, especially Game 1

The 2020 NLCS is the Dodgers’ 50th postseason series of the modern era (1901-present), and the ...

In their 27 previous best-of-seven series, the Dodgers have only won Game 1 eight times. In those eight series, the Dodgers only won three (1963 World Series, 1988 World Series, 2017 NLCS). In the 19 best-of-seven series in which they lost the opener, the Dodgers won six series. So it’s not exactly how the first game goes, so go the Dodgers, at least for longer series.

In this current run of eight consecutive National League West titles, the Dodgers have played 15 series, including all lengths. When that group won Game 1, they are 7-2 in winning the series (dropping the 2017 World Series and 2019 NLDS). When they lose Game 1, they are 1-5 in the series.

Here are the Dodgers’ postseason numbers in all series:

• Overall series record: 22-27
• When winning Game 1: 14-6
• When losing Game 1: 8-21

Maybe Game 1 is important after all.

Links

• The Dodgers’ deep, patient offense is better built to succeed this October, writes Bill Plunkett at the Orange County Register.
• Ken Gurnick at MLB.com wrote about the Dodgers’ ninth-inning options outside of Kenley Jansen.
• The Dodgers are looking forward to playing in front of fans in the NLCS (and beyond), wrote Jorge Castillo and Jack Harris at the Los Angeles Times.
• This is a few days old, but Ben Clemens at FanGraphs wrote the Dodgers are at the peak of their powers, and compared them to Ozymandias.
• Kris Willis at Talking Chop has more on the Braves’ starting pitchers for the first three games of the series — Max Fried, Ian Anderson, and Kyle Wright.
• This is the Braves’ first NLCS in 19 seasons, though Atlanta has plenty of history in the NLCS, from Talking Chop.