The Los Angeles Dodgers were 22 games better than the San Diego Padres during the regular season and handily won the regular season series against their National League West rivals to the south, taking 14 of 19 games. But that success did not translate over into the National League Division Series.
After losing Game 1, the Padres overcame some questionable umpiring and an odd delay to win Game 2 to salvage a split in Los Angeles. San Diego then survived a tense Game 3 battle against the Dodgers to go up 2-1.
It seemed like Los Angeles prevail in Game 5 to get the series back to Dodger Stadium for a winner-take-all Game 5. After another unusual delay, the Dodgers — who already led 2-0 — scored a run in the seventh inning to go up 3-0. In the bottom of the inning, the Padres roared back.
Austin Nola and Ha-seong Kim delivered RBI singles to close the gap to 3-2. Then, Juan Soto tied the game with an RBI single. Jake Cronenworth followed with a two-run single, giving San Diego a 5-3 lead.
And Jake Cronenworth follows that with a two-run single, giving the Padres a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh. pic.twitter.com/f6a8XIDyFK
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 16, 2022
Los Angeles went down in order in the eighth inning. Then, Josh Hader came on for the ninth. He struck out the side in order, retiring Freddie Freeman for the final out.
After scoring five runs in the seventh to erase a 3-0 deficit, the Padres defeat the Dodgers 5-3 in Game 4 of the NLDS to win the series 3-1. pic.twitter.com/GtkGvhDuHZ
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 16, 2022
To call this an upset would be an understatement. This is one of the biggest upsets in MLB postseason history.
Not only did the Dodgers easily win the season series against the Padres but for the most part, the games were not close. Los Angeles outscored San Diego by an average of three runs per game during their regular season head-to-head matchups.
The Padres went 5-14 against the Dodgers in the regular season and were outscored 109-47.
They went 3-1 and outscored L.A. 15-12 in the 4 games that mattered.
— Paul Casella (@Paul_CasellaMLB) October 16, 2022
The Dodgers also enjoyed one of the greatest seasons in baseball history, winning 111 games. While winning that many games hasn’t guaranteed teams championships in the past, every other team to win 110 games or more has at least qualified for the League Championship Series.
the Dodgers are the first team in MLB history to win 110+ games and not reach a championship series
1906 Cubs – lost WS
1909 Pirates – won WS
1927 Yankees – won WS
1954 Guardians – lost WS
1998 Yankees – won WS
2001 Mariners – lost ALCS
2022 Dodgers – lost NLDS pic.twitter.com/NNqsdMPrvc— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 16, 2022
As is typically the case when heavy favorites are defeated, the Dodgers were the targets of a lot of criticism in the aftermath of the game.
At least Klay Thompson got to see a team with no punch for once
— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) October 16, 2022
$310.6 million just don’t buy you what it used to, huh?
— Sarah Spain (@SarahSpain) October 16, 2022
111 wins for nothing. The Dodgers' season is done after four games in the NLDS… #pain https://t.co/b68NXY4aWZ
— Adrian Luevano 23ABC (@a_luevano) October 16, 2022
The National League Playoffs included the 111-win Dodgers as well as the 101-win Braves and Mets.
The NLCS will be played between the 87-win Phillies and 89-win Padres.
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 16, 2022
It has to be said
The 2022 Dodgers are the biggest failure in the history of baseball
111 wins
Best run differential since 1939
Biggest wins differential in playoff matchup (22) since 1906
1-0 series lead, followed by 3 straight losses
Didn’t even make it to the NLCS
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHarrisTBLA) October 16, 2022
This loss is more on the players than it was Dave, but he didn’t distinguish himself. Yesterday I said there was a one in five chance that he’d be fired and now I think there’s a two in five chance. #Dodgers
— Howard Cole (@Howard_Cole) October 16, 2022
The Padres will host Game 1 of the NLCS on Tuesday.
The Dodgers will watch on TV.— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) October 16, 2022
Of course, there are two sides to every upset. While the Dodgers are catching plenty of criticism for their performance in the NLDS, the Padres are earning a lot of well-deserved praise.
Padres lost every series to the Dodgers in 2022, except the only one that mattered.
— Rich Ohrnberger (@ohrnberger) October 16, 2022
When it was 3-0 in the seventh, I bet the Dodgers were around a 90 percent favorite. Way to fight Padres!!!
— Howie Schwab (@howieschwab) October 16, 2022
You can blame Roberts for some moves. You can blame pitchers for not executing. Or you can credit the Padres for great at-bats in the seventh. This team fights hard!
— Howie Schwab (@howieschwab) October 16, 2022
Gotta respect the fight of the padres
— Steven C Miller (@stevencmiller) October 16, 2022
MLB union and long-suffering fans of other teams should embrace the Padres for pushing so hard to win.
Peter Seidler took the payroll to $233M, sixth in MLB. A.J. Preller made bold trades.
Padres leaders don’t consider the World Series trophy just a “piece of metal”.
— Tom Krasovic (@SDUTKrasovic) October 16, 2022
The Padres will take on the Philadelphia Phillies — who completed a stunning upset of their own on Saturday — in the National League Championship Series. That will begin on Tuesday, October 18 in San Diego.
