Dodgers News: Mattingly Explains Significance Of Home-Field Advantage
On Saturday the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 2-1, and the New York Mets were swept in a doubleheader by the Washington Nationals, securing home-field advantage for the Dodgers in the National League Division Series.
Los Angeles will host the Mets on Friday and Saturday before traveling to New York for the third game and if necessary, a Game 4 of the series. After clinching Saturday, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly was relieved to know what the near future held. “It feels good to as much as anything, know what our travel is going to be and what’s going on,” Mattingly said.
“A lot of things can be up in the air; you don’t know what day to leave and you don’t know what time you’re going to play. This kind of solidifies some of the variables for us.” While the Dodgers have not yet announced their NLDS rotation, Clayton Kershaw is expected to start Game 1, followed by Zack Greinke in Game 2.
The Mets are sending Jacob deGrom to the hill in the series opener, and he’ll be followed by rookie Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey. The Dodgers, who won the NL West for the third consecutive season for the first time in franchise history, have the luxury of home-field advantage in the NLDS for a second straight year.
Two years ago they defeated the Atlanta Braves in four games without home-field advantage, but last year they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in four games after losing Game 1 at home.
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