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Dodgers, Giants NLDS: ‘This is What Baseball Wants,’ Says Dave Roberts

We’re down the last possible matchup between the Dodgers and the Giants in 2021. Between the regular season and postseason, these two bitter rivals have battled head to head 23 times now this year, plus another handful of times in spring training. And, finally… almost mercifully and completely unfairly for one club, it all comes down to this.

The best part of it, these teams — these bitter rivals and two best teams in baseball in 2021 — will have the spotlight all to themselves.



“This is what baseball wants,” said Dave Roberts after Tuesday night’s win. “We’re gonna be the only show in town. So if you have a pulse or are a sports fan, you better be watching Dodgers/Giants. It’s going to be a great one.”

Every other postseason series has officially wrapped up on Tuesday. The Braves upended the Brewers 3 games to 1, and the Astros trounced the White Sox 10-1 to take the series 3-1. On Monday, former Dodger Kiké Hernandez sent the Red Sox to the ALCS with a walk-off sac fly over the defending AL champs, the Tampa Bay Rays.

There’s more than a century of history between the Dodgers and Giants. And through all that, last Friday was the first time the two clubs had ever matched up in the postseason. Now, after 130 years and 109 wins each in 2021, the ultimate bragging rights are on the table and on the field at Oracle Park on Thursday night.

Julio Urias gets the ball for Los Angeles while the Giants go with Logan Webb in the decisive game 5.

Must. See. TV.

Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

29 Comments

  1. Baseball doesn’t get any better than the Dodgers/Giants playing each other to see who will face the Braves for the chance to play in the game that decides the National League Pennant. Win or lose these 2 teams are the best in baseball this year. I am a life long Dodger fan and they have given us a great year and I thank them. COME ON BIG BLUE!!!!

  2. Baseball does NOT want the Dodgers to advance, I’m convinced. Look at what happened to LA this year, but guess what? Baseball is f***** up.

    1. Nah. The baseball gods want LA vs the cheaters round 2! Who wouldn’t watch that! If there is any justice in this world, make it so! Only the single biggest travesty in baseball history! Houston players should have been banned from baseball for life! Their title stripped and names stricken from the recordbooks! But instead they got off Scott-free! And I would feel the same way if it had happened to the hated Giants!

      1. I’d rather see the Dodgers versus the Red Sox in the World Series. Go Red Sox to beat those hated cheaters. It would be great to finally see Kike and Verdugo this year.

        1. I just want to see LA in the WS. I couldn’t care less who they play……

          Bring it boys in blue!

        1. Pauldodgerfan1965 – isn’t it great there is no DH!! With Julio, we have a distinct advantage over the gnats.

      2. The Astros are cheating again. It would be an absolute nightmare and an embarrassment of a series

  3. Really disappointed that we lost game 3 at home because our offense was poor. While I hope and pray that LA can take game 5 and get a rematch with the Braves, I am very concerned about our chances with Webb pitching. This guy does not lose at home this season and we did absolutely nothing against him in game 1. I believe we are going to need at least 3 runs in game 5 to win, assuming the Urias pitches well. It would be heartbreak to lose another 1-0 game to the Giants. And, its so sad that Justin Turner has gone awol from hitting this series. We really need his bat.

    The only criticism I have of Roberts, was him bringing in Austin Barnes to pitch hit in game 3 in the 7th inning with 2 on and 1 out.

    Anyway like I said earlier, I hope and pray the Dodgers win Thursday night and advance to play the Braves. But if Webb dominates again and we dont hit and score then the season ends in a disappointing game 5. And with the outstanding pitching we have had in the playoffs it all was for not,

    1. True, Webb dominated the Dodgers in game #1, and he has not lost at Oracle Park. But there is a first time for just about anything and tomorrow, if we are prepared, could be his first time loss at home. I, too, believe that the Dodgers will need to score several runs and early because the Giants’ offense will be doing everything it can to do the same (with support from its power hitting veterans and an enthusiastic crowd.) Let’s hope that everyone, including JT, pulls it together at the plate tomorrow night so that Webb is forced to work hard. Urias has postseason experience and the poise that is necessary to maintain his composure but it will, and should, be all hands on deck.

    2. Jose – we outhit the Giants. Dodgers had more hits with high exit velocities than the gnats. We’re good – that game was weird. we’ll see Dodger offense of games 2 and 4 on Thursday!

      1. Joe, very good point. I too believe the Dodger offense from Games 2 & 4 will show up. Dodger righties will spit on that outside slider of Webb’s and force him back over the plate. I predict Webb is in for a big surprise. At any rate, it’s gunna be must see tv! Is it game time yet? Lol

        1. I wish it was game time! The unknown is the ump scheduled behind the plate is inconsistent. Hope he’s better than advertised!

  4. John, what’s worse is that we have to see these arrogant A-hole cheaters make the playoffs every year! Manfred I hate you for destroying the integrity of baseball! The only way for retribution is doing it on the field! As much as I’d love to see Kike and Verdugo in the WS, this wrong needs to rectified!

  5. Baseball fans everywhere would love to see the Dodgers extract revenge for being cheated in 2017. The entire country will be Dodger fans for that one, even most in Texas.

  6. I mean come on, they suspended 13 players for using PEDs. Surely they would have done SOMETHING for being convicted of cheating right? Oh ya, manager AJ Hinch gets a one year suspension. Now manager of the Detroit Tigers. Alex Cora gets a one year suspension and gets his old job back managing the Boston Red Sox. Big whoop. The players? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! We NEED to have Dodgers vs Astros and a 4 game sweep!

  7. I hate to be negative but in my lifetime this will be the third time that the Dodgers Giants are playing to advance to the next round of the post season, whether its the playoffs or the WS, 1951, 1962 and now 2021, the first two have not worked out well for us, and I just believe the luck of the Giants seems to always prevail, talent aside.

    1. Koofoo, you left out 1982 when Joe Morgan of the Giants beat the Dodgers in the last game of the season which, had the Dodgers won, would have had them tie the Braves for the NL West. A little bit different than ‘51 & ‘62 but it was still the Giants doing the Dodgers in. Just sayin.

      1. Thanks for reminding me, (of course thank you Terry Forster for that one) but I was only referring to games where either of the two teams could advance, in any case I don’t hold out much hope for tomorrow, cetainly hope I’m wrong, history supports my concerns.

        1. Koofoo, while I share your concerns, and they are truly valid ones. I can’t help but feel it’s time for the narrative to change. For the love of the game, baseball deserves Dodgers vs Astros part two.

          1. What I have noticed over the years….

            When the Dodgers are having a good season, the Giants kill them in head to head games….. Same as when the Giants are having a good season….

            This season, both teams played great, yet head to head, the Giants have the edge 10-9 in wins.

            Just a thought….

            End of the day, it’s the boys on the field, playing smart baseball, aggressive and yet selective at the dish.

            Boys, LA is behind you and wishing you all nothing but success!!!!

            Now, as our beloved Vinny used to say, “It’s time for Dodger baseball!”.

            PS, in the background, you hear Jerry Doggett say, “Check that!”

  8. I love coming back and re-reading older stories. You get to see just who has predictive power 😉

    Let’s go Dodgers! Beat those Bravos!

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