Los Angeles Dodgers: A big night is needed from a struggling slugger

The Los Angeles Dodgers did exactly what the team needed to do on Tuesday and must repeat the action on Wednesday: beat the Texas Rangers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are making a push right when the team needed it and has a four-game winning streak heading into the season finale against the Texas Rangers.

Los Angeles finally got a break from what was a tough month of August in which there was really only one series against a non-playoff contender. That series was against the San Francisco Giants, who always play the Dodgers tough and are still conceivably in striking range.

Regardless, the Dodgers took all three games against the San Diego Padres and need to take both games against the Texas Rangers.

More from LA Sports Hub

• Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
• LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
• LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
• Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
• LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month

Depending on whether or not the Diamondbacks lose on Tuesday night (the game is still going on as I write this but you will know by the time you are reading this), the two teams could be tied by the time the four-game series rolls around.

While the Rockies are still in the mix and could be in first place by this time, this series is huge for the Dodgers as it may determine how the rest of the season plays out. If either team gets the upper hand and completes a four-game sweep, it is going to be hard to see the losing team come back.

A four-game lead is not a huge security blanket, the Dodgers just proved that to us. However, losing four straight to a division foe could do plenty of negative things to the team’s demeanor and would continue the Dodgers’ trend of struggling against playoff trends.

Before that even starts, the Dodgers need to focus on the Texas Rangers and we need to focus on our Los Angeles Dodgers Beat the Streak series.

Sarah’s pick — Current streak 1: Brian Dozier

My pick for tonight is Brian Dozier. Like last night, I am going with a player who has spent a majority of their career in the AL, since the Dodgers are playing their second and final game against the Rangers this series.

I love interleague series’ and have faith that the Dodgers can get a W tonight, and I have a feeling Dozier will get a hit, or even an RBI knock, for the boys in blue tonight.

Jason’s pick — Current streak 7: Matt Kemp

The title of this article is alluding to my selection, not Sarah’s (sorry, Sarah!)

In the Dodgers’ recent run a few key players have stepped up and given the team a big game at the plate. The one man that has been missing from that list is Matt Kemp, who has had a role, but nowhere close to the role he had during the beginning of the season.

Kemp looked like an MVP finalist heading into the All-Star Break but has since seen his playing time reduced due to a cold second half of the season. While he has improved on it recently, it still has not been great for Kemp.

Since the All-Star Break, Kemp carries a .208 batting average with three home runs, nine RBIs and a .626 OPS.

This has been a constant trend in the latter half of Kemp’s career and Dodger fans should not expect an insane resurgence, however, that resurgence is possible.

Kemp really needs to get in the groove of things to keep his playing time before September call-ups and the likes of Alex Verdugo and Andrew Toles start getting playing time. If Kemp can get back to his old ways, the Dodgers would seem like a sure shot to win the NL West and advance throughout the playoffs.

Kemp is running out of chances to have that big game that sparks a fire underneath him. Wednesday, against Mike Minor, he has that chance.