Since Los Angeles Dodgers OF Matt Kemp reinjured his left hamstring the team has found a way to keep their first place NL West lead. The Dodgers finished up a 10-game road trip with a 7-3 record. This is a good sign for the Dodgers, showing the team that they can win games without their best player in the lineup, even if it is just for the short-term. Also, the 10-game road trip was a huge test for the Dodgers in that it could have been potentially damaging to them in the National League West standings. Finishing the road trip at 7-3 keeps the Dodgers in first place in the NL West and provides the team with added confidence.
The schedule does not get any easier for the Dodgers now that they are at home and in the midst of a three game series with the Los Angeles Angels. The Dodgers dropped the first game of the series last night by a score of 3-2. As a result, the NL West standings
now show the second place San Francisco Giants are 4.5 games behind the first place Dodgers. Besides the MLB standings ramifications, this series will bring great energy to the city of Los Angeles because of the rivalry between the Dodgers and Angels. Similarly to the Dodgers, the Angels are riding their own four game winning streak. There will be high stakes in this series not only bragging rights in Los Angeles, but also for position in the standings for the Dodgers in the NL West and Angels in the AL West.
The solid road trip record for the Dodgers came at the right time. One lingering question that is worth asking whenever Matt Kemp returns is, “Will his hamstring injury linger for the rest of the season and keep the Dodgers from making a real push at a World Series title?” Certainly Dodgers fans would hope not, but only time will tell. In the meantime, it was a strong 10 game road trip for the Dodgers, and hopefully they will keep the momentum going as they are entering a home stand currently facing the Los Angeles Angels followed by the Chicago White Sox.
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