After an impressive regular season, both the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Dodgers faced a disappointing fate in the Division Series.
Swept by their opponents, these two teams made baseball history as the first multiple 100-win teams to be swept in a single postseason.
With the Dodgers and Orioles both getting swept this postseason, this is the first time multiple 100-win teams were swept in a single postseason all-time. pic.twitter.com/Q1qOx5my4W
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 12, 2023
The Dodgers, coming off a remarkable season with 106 wins, were swept in three games by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
On the other hand, the Orioles, with 102 wins, suffered the same fate against the Texas Rangers.
This unexpected outcome has raised questions about the effectiveness of the bye and extra rest that these teams received in the wild card round.
However, there are other factors that contributed to their disappointing performances. Firstly, the Rangers and Diamondbacks have been on fire, maintaining a flawless winning streak in the playoffs.
Their solid performance and momentum proved to be a significant challenge for the Orioles and Dodgers.
In the case of the Orioles, lack of playoff experience may have played a role in their downfall.
As one of the youngest teams in the league, they lacked players with the necessary postseason exposure.
This lack of experience could have affected their ability to perform under pressure.
For the Dodgers, injuries took a toll on their starting rotation, which performed poorly against the Diamondbacks.
Walker Buehler, Julio Urias, and Dustin May were sidelined for months due to injuries, with Buehler even missing the entire season.
Additionally, Tony Gonsolin suffered a season-ending injury, and Urias was put on the restricted list.
Looking ahead, the Orioles have a promising future as their young team continues to mature.
With their talent and potential, they are likely to return as one of the best teams in baseball next year.
However, the Dodgers face uncertainties due to the age of their roster and their repeated playoff failures.
It remains to be seen if they can address these issues and make a stronger postseason run in the future.
