Expert Predictions for the Dodgers vs Diamondbacks 2023 NLDS

It’s been a long year of waiting as Dodger fans just wanted to watch their Boys in Blue play postseason baseball again after last year’s collapse. But rest assured, the NLDS is finally here.

For the fourth straight season the Dodgers will be taking on a divisional foe, as this year, it’s the Arizona Diamondbacks coming to Los Angeles for the NLDS.

The Dodgers went 8-5 against Arizona this year, but as we saw last year, regular season numbers don’t matter in the slightest come October. So throw all the past records out the window as the Dodgers and Diamondbacks get set for a best-of-five series starting Saturday. You can find the full details of game times by clicking here.

Here at Dodgers Nation, we wanted to give our expert predictions for this best-of-five series. So, I’ll jump right in with my prediction to kick us off:

Noah Camras: The Dodgers are playing a divisional foe for the fourth straight NLDS, and everyone seems to want to make the comparisons to last year’s Divisional Series against the San Diego Padres. But these series could not be more different.

The Padres had one of the more talented rosters in baseball, while the Diamondbacks can’t compete at all with the talent level of the Dodgers. LA has dominated Arizona’s projected starters in their careers, and the talent gap of LA’s 1-9 and Arizona’s 1-9 is just unfair.

The Dodgers have the perfect mix of young guys and veterans to ensure a postseason collapse doesn’t happen, and they’ll be more than ready to take down an inferior opponent. The D-Backs may steal some runs with their base running and gritty play, but the Dodgers won’t let them take a game.

Prediction: Dodgers in 3.

Clint Pasillas: The Dodgers face the D-backs as Braves fans are crying about having to face the higher-seeded Phillies in their NLDS. What a fun time for baseball! For LA, they face a club that beat them down in 5 of their first 8 meetings when the new-look Dodger ballclub was still figuring itself out. The Dodgers took the last 5 meetings between the teams.

Now we enter the NLDS with Arizona looking to use speed to try and run all over LA. Thankfully, mitigating the run game was a major point of focus for the Dodgers in the second half. Dodgers pitching is better than the D-backs. Position by position, LA is superior to Arizona everywhere but where Corbin Carroll is playing that night.

Dave Roberts managed his ass off this season and is primed to put on a masterclass against Torey Lovullo and the Arizona lineup.

Prediction: Dodgers in 4

Ricardo Sandoval: Here we go again, Dodger fans. We find ourselves in another divisional showdown in the NLDS, and this time, the feeling is that things should play out differently. While the star power might not leap off the page, there’s strong belief that the Dodgers are better prepared for this postseason.
All eyes are on the pitching staff, which boasts a mix of young talents and the veteran presence of Clayton Kershaw. On the other side, the Diamondbacks are young, hungry, and carry the underdog status, with nothing to lose.

The Dodgers, on the other hand, are equally hungry and considerably more experienced. LA should be able to take care of business, especially in the first two games. At the end of it, when the dust is settled, LA will take care of business in three games.

Prediction: Dodgers in 3

Matt Levine: At long last, the playoffs are here, and the Dodgers are facing a familiar opponent. Like in previous years, LA gets an opponent from the NL West, which could spell some trouble. But this Dodgers team has a roster unlike recent years, and they seem focused from what happened last season.

The Diamondbacks have a few guys who can make life tough for LA, and the Dodgers rotation remains a question making this series tougher than it seems. Arizona will give them some fits, simply because they know them so well, but LA prevails in the end.

Prediction: Dodgers in 5.

Caleb Nguyen: It’ll be a close series with the young Snakes riding high off of momentum from their sweep of Milwaukee. However, a more experienced Dodgers roster with veterans and superstars will take them out in no more than four games.

Prediction: Dodgers in 4

Kevin Skinner: I think last year has to be top of mind for the Dodgers moving into the postseason. Not only do they not want an early exit, there is no way they will be handed a series loss at the hands of an NL West team. I think this is all the fuel the team needs to go out and play inspired baseball.

Prediction: Dodgers in 3

What are your predictions for this Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks NLDS? Sound off in the comments below!

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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