Los Angeles Dodgers (101-44) vs Arizona Diamondbacks (68-78)
Monday, September 19, 2022 at 10:10 pm
The Los Angeles Dodgers return home Monday as National League West champions, facing the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of an extended five-game series, which also is the start of an eight-game homestand.
When the teams met at Arizona on Tuesday, the Dodgers earned a 4-0 victory to wrap up their ninth division title in the past 10 seasons. A day later, though, Los Angeles' main weakness was exposed when closer Craig Kimbrel gave up a game-ending home run to the Diamondbacks' Sergio Alcantara.
Kimbrel has been on a rocky ride in his first season as the Dodgers' closer, blowing five saves, getting tagged with a loss six times and posting a 3.96 ERA in 52 1/3 innings.
Other late-inning relief options like right-handers Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol have struggled with injuries. With the playoffs fast approaching, the Dodgers remain in search of answers for the back end of their bullpen.
Despite the bullpen troubles, the Dodgers not only clinched the division title, they also reached the 100-win mark Saturday with a victory at San Francisco. Los Angeles has won at least 100 games in each of the past three full seasons and four times in the last five full seasons.