After falling to the San Francisco Giants 6-8 yesterday at AT&T Park the Los Angeles Dodgers lost their 10th straight game as what was once a very promising season keeps spinning out of control.
Now they are not nearly as good as they were earlier in the season and their World Series dreams are at risk. A historic team that looked ready to break all the records now has to concentrate on getting out of the slump and reach the postseason on a positive note.
Although nobody knows what’s the real reason for the slump the Dodgers will have to look deep and find a solution before the start of the playoffs if they want to have a real shot at winning their first World Series since 1988.
Anyone can have a losing streak, but a 10-game losing streak is highly incomprehensible for a team that was on pace to break or tie the win total of the 2001 Seattle Mariners, a team that won 116 games and tied the Major League record for wins set by the Chicago Cubs in 1906.
In fact, according to Elias Sports Bureau, the Dodgers are the first team in MLB history to both win 15 of 16 games and lose 15 of 16 games in the same season.
The Dodgers still hold the best record in Major League Baseball and are trying to win their fifth consecutive N. L West pennant. They currently hold a 9.5-game lead on the Arizona Diamondbacks
However, clearly, the advantage has been reduced and should they continue their losing ways they could jeopardize their division lead.
Also, the Washington Nationals are closing in and could catch the Dodgers as they will start a three-game series at Nationals Park on Friday.
Dodgers Third baseman Justin Turner knows the team is playing terribly right now and was vocal about the Dodgers needing a change of mentality despite still having the best record in the standings.
“Just sitting back and saying ‘we’re still the best team in baseball’ isn’t the answer. Because regardless of what the record says, right now we’re the worst team in baseball.”
Turner added that they have to start winning now because what they did three months ago “doesn’t mean a whole lot right now and no one in the league is going to feel sorry” for them.
