Sep 12, 2017
By the Numbers: Two teams heading in opposite directions
It may be a potential World Series matchup, but the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians are two teams going in completely different directions right now.
TSN.ca Staff
It may be a potential World Series matchup, but the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians are two teams going in completely different directions right now.
After one of the best stretches in baseball throughout the summer, the Dodgers have strung together a brutal 11-game losing stretch while the Indians are on the verge of breaking the American League record for longest win streak ever.
This is the Dodgers' longest losing streak since the team moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958 and the fifth-longest losing streak in franchise history.
Dodgers' Historic Slide
Longest Losing Streaks in Dodgers' History | ||
---|---|---|
Season | Length | Overall Record |
1944 Brooklyn Dodgers | 16 games | 63-91 |
1937 Brooklyn Dodgers | 14 games | 62-91 |
1925 Brooklyn Dodgers | 12 games | 68-85 |
1907 Brooklyn Dodgers | 12 games | 65-83 |
1906 Brooklyn Dodgers | 11 games | 66-86 |
2017 Los Angeles Dodgers | 11 games* | 92-52 |
*Active streak
The Dodgers have scored just 30 runs during their current losing streak, hitting .203 over that span. The pitching staff, once highly touted and bolstered by the acquistion of Yu Darvish at the trade deadline, has struggled with an ERA of 6.45.
Since the Dodgers' prolific stretch of 52-9 earlier in the year, the team has lost 16 of 17. But even with this awful run, the Dodgers still have the best record in baseball and are the only team over the last 10 seasons to lose 16 of 17 games with a winning record.
Dodgers in the Dumps
Teams to Lose 16 or More Games in a 17-Game Span (Last 10 Seasons) | |
---|---|
Team | Wins |
2017 Los Angeles Dodgers | 92-52 |
2015 Atlanta Braves | 67-95 |
2012 Houston Astros | 55-107 |
2011 Miami Marlins | 72-90 |
2011 Seattle Mariners | 67-95 |
2011 Minnesota Twins | 63-99 |
The Dodgers hope ace Clayton Kershaw can turn things around for the slumping Blue Crew. The left-hander is coming off a rough start against the Colorado Rockies, in which he surrendered four runs, six hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings pitched.
Meanwhile, in the American League, the Indians are chasing history and doing it in dominant fashion.
Their 19-game win streak is the fourth-longest since 1900, but their run differential is better than any team with a longer streak.
Tribe Trump All?
Most consecutive wins in a seson (Modern Era, since 1900) | ||
---|---|---|
Team | Win Streak | Run Differential |
1916 New York Giants | 26 games | +89 |
1935 Chicago Cubs | 21 games | +76 |
2002 Oakland Athletics | 20 games | +76 |
2017 Cleveland Indians | 19 games | +100 |
1947 New York Yankees* | 19 games | +78 |
1906 Chicago White Sox* | 19 games | +76 |
*World Series champions
With last night's 11-0 shutout of the Detroit Tigers, the Tribe has racked up six shutouts during their win streak and teams have managed to score more than two runs against them just four times.
Ace Corey Kluber takes the mound for the Indians on Tuesday giving them a great chance to reach win number 20. The former Cy Young winner leads the American League in ERA (2.56) and WHIP (0.88), compiling an impressive 1.89 ERA since June 1. However, if any team could put up a fight against Kluber and the Indians, it's the Tigers.
The right-hander has not fared well against Miguel Cabrera and company this season, with an ERA of 5.24. Although, if you look at the numbers more closely, you have to still like the Indians' chances to tie the AL record for longest win streak. Kluber started twice against the Tigers before going on the disabled list on May 2 and struggled, with an ERA of 10.61. But then in two starts versus the Tigers since returning from the DL, it's been a completely different story, as he's put up much more Kluber-like numbers, only giving up two runs in 13 innings pitched.