Dodgers: Cubs or Nationals; which is better for the Dodgers?

The Los Angeles Dodgers made quick work of the Arizona Diamondbacks, sweeping them in three games in the NLDS. Now, LA awaits its next opponent.

Oh, how sweet the NLDS victory was for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Entering the postseason with the best record in baseball, the Dodgers were not favored to defeat the red-hot Arizona Diamondbacks. However, Los Angeles turned every doubter into a believer with a 3-0 NLDS win.

The Dodgers were in control of all three games in the series. Los Angeles outscored Arizona by nine runs in three games and only trailed for three of the 27 innings. The bats won Los Angeles the first two games; dominant pitching won them the last.

Just like that, the Dodgers moved on to their second straight National League Championship Series. Although the team lost last season in six games, Los Angeles enters the series with a load of confidence as heavy favorites.

In ironic fashion, the two teams the Dodgers faced in last year’s postseason are the two teams in contention for the NLCS. The Dodgers defeated the Nationals in five games in the 2016 NLDS; then lost to the Cubs in six, as we mentioned, in the NLCS.

Practical wisdom makes the decision between the two sides simple. On one hand, you have the team that you defeated. Then, on the other, the team that you lost to. Therefore, Dodger fans should be rooting for the Nationals in the NLDS.

Or should they?

The debate on which team is better to face is a tricky one. Both teams bring an interesting dynamic to the plate, and both have psychological implications as well. The Dodgers may be more comfortable facing the Nationals other than the Cubs due to their results last season.

First, let’s start with the pitching staff. The Nationals boast a solid trio of Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer and Gio Gonzalez with Tanner Roark as the fourth man. As for Chicago, the Cubbies boast Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta and Jose Quintana as a great four. As for the bullpens, the Cubs and Nationals ranked seventh and eighth in reliever WAR, per FanGraphs.

The Nationals had a 2.21 ERA in six games played against the Dodgers this season. Strasburg owned a 0.75 ERA in 12 innings, Scherzer a 0.00 ERA in 7.0 innings and Gonzalez a 3.00 ERA in 6.0 innings. Roark did not make a start against the Dodgers this season.

Chicago had a 3.53 ERA against Los Angeles in six starts this season. Lester had a 6.75 ERA in 9.1 innings and Arrieta a 6.00 ERA in 6.0 innings. Neither Hendricks or Quintana pitched against the Dodgers this year. The pitching advantage goes to Washington.

What about the bats of both teams? Los Angeles had a 2.72 ERA against the Washington Nationals and a 1.71 ERA against the Chicago Cubs. Record-wise the Nationals have an advantage as well. Los Angeles bested the Cubs four games to two this season, while the Nationals split evenly at three and three.

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Although the Nationals are the better team on paper and had four more wins in the regular season than the Cubs, Chicago has been the hotter team of late. Chicago finished the season with a 15-5 run while the Nationals finished on a 9-11 skid.

This hot play has translated to the postseason as well; the Cubs currently hold a 2-1 lead over the Nationals, and quite frankly, could have won in game two as well. Chicago shut down Washington in games one and three, allowing a combined one run and five hits in 18 innings of work.

However, in game two, the Cubs dropped the game 6-3. Although the team did lose by three runs, the scoreline does not represent the domination of the Cubs pitching staff.

Chicago allowed one run in the first inning off of an Anthony Rendon home run. Washington was held to just one hit until the eighth inning, where they opened up the scoring with five runs.

Outside of that bad eighth inning, the Cubs own a 0.69 ERA in this series – they are scary good. However, the Nationals starting pitching is doing great as well. The starting rotation has allowed four earned runs in 16.1 innings tossed; good enough for a 2.24 ERA.

The story of this series has been pitching, and the downfall of the series has been the bullpen. Both teams bring equal dominance on the rubber, yet both have their own shortcomings after the starting pitcher. This series has proved that good pitching can neutralize both offenses, which shouldn’t be a worry for the Dodgers.

Both teams are so similar and that is why this series is where it is at. For Dodger fans, it is hard to really pick a side. At the end of the day though, Dodger fans should root for the Cubs in the NLDS. With a slightly thinner offense, the Dodgers pitching staff will be able to make key outs in situations against the Cubs that are not present against the Nationals.

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However, Dodger fans should root for the Washington Nationals in game four. Regardless of who wins, the Dodgers want this series to go five games, as that will only help them as the series pans out.

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