For the first time in history, a team won 105 games and did not win the division crown. The Dodgers They finished with a 106-56 record, a number of victories surpassed only by 17 teams in Major League history, but the San Francisco Giants were one of them and took the crown of the NL West Division by one game. , so that the defending champions will have to risk their lives on Wednesday.
Dodgers to host stormy St. Louis Cardinals, who have won 18 of the last 22 to come back and claim second place in the wildcard, including a 17-match winning streak.
The starters for the game will be two veterans with a lot of experience in the Playoffs. Dave Roberts will give the ball to Max Scherzer, the Dodgers’ midseason acquisition who went undefeated in 11 starts, winning seven and with a minuscule 1.98 ERA. He met St. Louis twice this year and won both times, allowing no run in 14 innings of work. Mad Max has 22 experience starts in the Playoffs, going 7-5 with a 3.38 ERA.
St. Louis counters with Adam Wainwright. The 40-year-old veteran had a phenomenal season, going 17-7 in 32 starts with a 3.05 ERA. Won his only start against Los Angeles this season, allowing four runs in 8.1 innings of labor in
September 8. In the Playoffs he worked 28 times, starting as a reliever and then migrating as a starter, with 15 postseason starts. He has a losing record, 4-5, but an ERA of 2.89.
The winner of the wild card game will travel to San Francisco to start the National League Division Series against the Giants, who had the best record in all the major leagues.