Dodgers Advance to NLCS Despite Underperforming, Players Believe Team Has Another Level to Reach
PHILADELPHIA – The Los angeles Dodgers are heading to the National League championship Series for the seventh time in 10 seasons after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 5 on Thursday, despite a performance players and manager Dave Roberts acknowledged was far from their peak.The Dodgers won the series despite not recording an extra-base hit or a hit with a runner in scoring position in the deciding game.
This victory underscores the Dodgers’ resilience and depth, signaling a potentially dominant postseason run even while operating below full capacity.The team’s ability to overcome a formidable Phillies pitching staff – which posted a 2.87 earned-run average during the series compared to the Dodgers’ 3.32 ERA - highlights their championship mettle and raises the question of how far they can go if they unlock their full potential.
“I think we won this series as we pitched really well,” utility player Kiké Hernández said.
The Dodgers readily credited the Phillies’ pitching, which Roberts described as potentially the best they will face this October. However, players expressed confidence that they have more to offer offensively and defensively.
“That’s a great team over there,” Roberts said. “We took every punch that they threw at us.”
hernández echoed that sentiment, stating, “I think that we can be better. We didn’t necessarily defend the way we can defend. We didn’t hit the way we can hit. Even though we beat a really, really good team, we can be even better.” He added, “That just speaks volumes about this group. We have gone through so much together. We’re battle-tested,and we’re going to find a way to win a ballgame even when things are not going our way.”
Despite leading the National League in runs and home runs during the regular season,the Dodgers believe they haven’t yet reached their highest level of play. third baseman Max muncy expressed this belief before the Dodgers’ lone postseason loss on Wednesday.
“I still think there’s another gear in there,” Muncy said. “I don’t think we fully reached where we can be at.And that’s not saying we are, and that’s not saying we aren’t. But I still think there’s a whole other level in there we haven’t reached yet.”
When asked how they would know when they’ve reached that level, Muncy smiled and said, “I think you would know.”
