Dodgers Need to Take Advantage of August Schedules

Heading into Saturday afternoon’s contest, the Dodgers sit a game and a half ahead of the Giants in the NL West. While September will likely dictate who wins the division, the Dodgers can do themselves a huge favor by taking advantage of a favorable August schedule

The term “favorable” is relative here. The Dodgers don’t have a cakewalk in August, as they will face three current division leaders. However, the Giants schedule this month is insane for a number of reasons, so the Dodgers would be wise to put some distance between themselves and the team up north.

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After the Angels series, the Dodgers leave for a six-game trip in Pennsylvania, where they will play the Phillies and Pirates. They return home for three with the Nationals and four with the Reds, before going on an eight-game road trip to Oakland, Houston and Cincinnati. They finish the month with three at home against the Cubs, before the Giants come to LA for a series that begins August 31.

The series’ against the Nats, Pirates and Astros should be difficult, and the Cubs could cause the Dodgers problems. The seven games against Cincinnati, who just traded their two best starters at the deadline, should be winnable enough, and theoretically Oakland and Philly shouldn’t give the Dodgers too many problems (no more Sonny Gray please). The Dodgers will also have four off days in August, which should help them cope with the heat and humidity in the month.

On the other hand, the Giants’ schedule is brutal. They’re currently playing at Texas, where they get to be on the other side

A brutal August schedule could spell disaster for the defending champions. Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

of Cole Hamels‘ Rangers debut. They head to Atlanta for three with the Braves, and then begin an insane August stretch. After Atlanta, they head to Wrigley for four with the Cubs and return to SF for two with the Astros and four with the Nationals. They head back on the road for three in St. Louis and four with the Pirates, before returning to the bay for three more with the Cubs and three more with the Cardinals. Then, down to LA for the final game of August and the first two games of September.

If that stretch of CHC-HOU-WSH-STL-PIT-CHC-STL-LA wasn’t strenuous enough, they only get two off days during the whole month, both of which come after road games and before home games. The Giants have been streaky this year, having reeled off winning streaks of six and eight games and losing streaks of seven and eight earlier this year. They’ve been playing good baseball since the break, taking advantage of series’ against Arizona, San Diego and Oakland. However, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see them put up another big losing streak in August.

The key won’t be for the Dodgers to beat great teams. It would be refreshing and encouraging to see, but since this isn’t college football quality wins don’t matter, The 12 games against losing teams in August count just the same as the 15 against winning teams do. After a hot April, the Dodgers were still four games over .500 in both May and July, and finished .500 in June, which was their rough month with only two off days. If the Dodgers can win like 16 of their 27 games in August, or finish the month four games over .500, they would have to be in the drivers’ seat headed into the NL West filled September run. It would be nice for the mental state of players and fans to beat up on some of their potential future playoff opponents, but as the Giants and Royals showed last year, all that matters is getting in. Once October starts, all bets are off and any team can catch fire.

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