The Dodgers will put their best foot forward on Friday afternoon, with Clayton Kershaw starting against the Nationals in Game 1 of the NLDS on the road at Nationals Park in Washington D.C.
There is something to be said for playing from ahead, a luxury the Dodgers haven’t enjoyed in any playoff series since winning the 2013 NLDS against the Braves. The Dodgers lost Game 1 in the 2013 NLCS against the Cardinals, the 2014 NLDS against St. Louis and the 2015 NLDS against the Mets, and lost all three series.
In fact, the last time the Dodgers lost Game 1 and still won the playoff series was the 1988 NLCS against the Mets.