The LA Dodgers, despite winning 111 regular-season games, were eliminated by the San Diego Padres in the National League Division Series. The Dodgers fell to the Padres 5-3 in front of a raucous crowd at Petco Park on Saturday and, in turn, got eliminated in the NLDS with a 3-1 series result.
The LA Dodgers became the second team during the day with more than 100 wins in the regular season and a World Series championship in the past three years to be eliminated.
The other was the defending champion Atlanta Braves, who were eliminated by the Philadelphia Phillies. All the 100-win NL teams are now out of the playoffs.
Needless to say, Dodgers fans lamented the team's loss and subsequent elimination.
The Dodgers offense was massively overwhelming, especially down the stretch. The team had an early 2-0 lead, which they pushed to three in the seventh inning courtesy of Will Smith's sac fly.
In the succeeding half inning, the Padres rallied for five runs that were ignited by Austin Nola's RBI single. Jake Cronenworth rounded up the inning with a two-run single to claim the lead for the Padres.
LA Dodgers fans will have some questions about the players and the team's management this upcoming offseason.
Club boss Dave Roberts, who started his coaching and managerial career with the San Diego Padres, will be in the hotseat once more. The Dodgers have had a superteam for a good portion of the last decade but have only won one World Series title, in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
LA Dodgers' inability to perform under pressure is a cause for concern
Once again, the LA Dodgers failed to deliver with runners in scoring position. The team broke its 0 for 19 cold spell when Freddie Freeman scored a two-run double in the third. The team, however, went 2 for 9 in the RISP category against the Padres' 4 for 9.
It is unclear whether the team will remain intact for next year or if some of their stars, most notably Trea Turner, will return their talents somewhere else.