Andrew Friedman stood in a hallway outside the Dodgers’ clubhouse late Sunday night, spinning a baseball in his hand. It had been more than an hour since the Dodgers’ season ended, and he had made his way through the clubhouse, shaking hands and extending hugs. The clubhouse door was locked, the players had left for the winter, and the pride in guiding the Dodgers to their first back-to-back World Series appearances in 40 years had been eclipsed by the pain in losing both of them.
The Dodgers never have played in the World Series in three consecutive years — not in Los Angeles, not Brooklyn, not ever. For the fans, wait ’til next year. For Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, next year started Sunday.
The hallway was quiet. The wounds of the game, and the series, still were fresh. The autopsy of October has yet to start.
The Dodgers need to consider whether the plans they employ with such great success in the regular season might not work so well in the World Series. For now, all Friedman wanted to say for sure was that his team picked a bad time to have a bad week.
The Boston Red Sox beat the Dodgers in five games. The Red Sox finished the season with 119 victories, including the postseason. The Dodgers won 100.
“They’re obviously a great team,” Friedman said. “We felt we were a great team as well.”
But, as he continued to spin the baseball, he did offer one observation.
“Our approach was off from last year,” Friedman said. “There was much more of a relentless approach last year that we did not have this year. I think it made it much more difficult. We had very little margin for error.”
The Red Sox pitching staff starts with David Price and Chris Sale, who have combined for one Cy Young Award and 12 All-Star appearances. But the pitching staff of the Houston Astros last year started with Justin Verlander and Dallas Keuchel, who have combined for two Cy Youngs and nine All-Star appearances.
When each team played the Dodgers in the World Series, each liberally deployed starters in the bullpen. The Astros arguably had a deeper staff.
So what exactly did Friedman mean by “more of a relentless approach” last fall?
“The quality of at-bat we had last October felt like a much higher quality than this October,” he said. “You’re always facing great pitching in October.”
The Dodgers hit 10 home runs in the World Series last October, six this October. The strikeout percentage was about the same.
But the overreliance on home runs this year was reflected this way: the Dodgers had 22 extra-base hits in 229 at-bats in last year’s World Series, 10 extra-base hits in 189 at-bats this year. The Dodgers batted .180 this year, with an on-base average of .249.
The Dodgers will start to explore why, and one question they ought to ask is whether the high volume of platoon changes combined with all the extra off days in October makes it more difficult for hitters to maintain their timing.
In hindsight, Friedman said, the Dodgers did not regret not adding another reliever at the trade deadlines.
“Our relievers were why we won the division series and the championship series,” he said. “We struggled in the World Series. But, getting back to our offense, we had zero margin for error. That magnified it, as opposed to being able to tack on runs.
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Dodgers’ Manny Machado strikes out as Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez charges to the mound to celebrate winning the 2018 Word Series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and coach Bob Geren pack up as the Red Sox celebrate winning the 2018 Word Series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox starting pitcher David Price joins starter-turned-reliever Chris Sale and catcher Christian Vazquez in celebrating a 5-1 win over the Dodgers to clinch the World Series title. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodger players can only watch in the ninth inning as the Red Sox go on to win the championship in Game 5. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Red Sox celebrate winning the 2018 Word Series at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox players celebrate beating the Dodgers 5-1 and winning game five and the World Series. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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The Red Sox celebrate the championship after defeating the dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez and starter-turned-closer Chris Sale celebrate winning the World Series after the final out of Game 5 at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello, left, and catcher Christian Vaszuez hug after winning the championship. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig looks on from the bench as the Red Sox carry a 5-1 lead late in Game 5. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers players look on from the bench as the Red Sox carry a 5-1 lead late in game five. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers Clayton Kershaw enters the dugout after pitching seven innings. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Clayton Kershaw rests in the dugout after giving up three home runs over seven innings in Game 5 of the 2018 World Series against Boston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce celebrates his second home run of the game against the Dodgers during the eighth inning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers relief pitcher Pedro Baez puts his gloves on his head after giving up a solo homer to Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce in the eighth inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox starting pitcher David Price reacts after getting Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig to ground out in the seventh inning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Clayton Kershaw gets a pat from manager Dave Roberts after giving up four runs and seven hits in Game 5 of the 2018 World Series. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox right fielder J.D. Martinez, left, is congratulated by teammate Xander Bogaerts after hitting a home run in the seventh inning. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers center fielder Enrique Hernandez can’t reach a J.D.Martinez homer in the seventh inning. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw surrenders a sixth inning solo homer to Mookie Betts. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw reacts after a solo home run by Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts during the sixth inning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw surrenders a home run to Red Sox right fielder J.D. Martinez. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts connects for a solo home run off Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw during the sixth inning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw watches as Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts hits a solo homer in the sixth inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes looks away as Red Sox center fielder Mookie Betts celebrates after crossing home plate during his home-run trot in the sixth inning. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw is tagged out by Red Sox pitcher David Price at 1st base to end the 5th inning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig drops his bat and helmet in the infield after flying out to end the fourth inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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From left, Matt Damon, Jimmy Kimmel and Ben Affleck watch Game 5 at Dodger Stadium. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers David Freese slides into third with a third inning triple as Red Sox’s Rafael Devers makes a late tag. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers David Freese rounds second base on a third inning triple. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox pitcher David Price reacts after giving up a solo home run to Dodgers David Freese in the 1st inning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers David Freese celebrates his solo home run as Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez looks away in the first inning. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox starting pitcher David Price grimaces as Dodgers first baseman David Freese hits a solo homer in the first inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers first baseman David Freese reacts after hitting a solo homer in the first inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers David Freese homers in the first inning in game five. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw warms up in the outfield before facing the Red Sox in Game 5 of the World Series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers Manny Machado reacts after striking out in the first inning. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Red Sox Steve Pearce, center, celebrates his two-run home run aganinst the Dodgers in the 1st inning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Ddogers Manny Machado complains to home plate umpire Jeff Nelson afgter striking out against the Red Sox in the 1st inning. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw follows the flight of the ball on Steve Pearce’s first inning two run homer. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw wipes his face as he leaves the mound after giving up a two-run home run to Red Sox’s Steve Pearce in the first inning. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Fomer Dodger pitcher Orel Hersheiser waves to the crowd before the first pitch in Game 5. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts chats with reporters in the dugout hours before game five. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw warms up in the outfield as the Budweiser Clydesdales pass by before the start of Game 5 at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Clydesdale horses trot along the warning track before the start of Game 5. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“We were both great teams. We each won our respective leagues. They had a better five games than we did. I think, from our standpoint, we made adjustments during the year and acquired key players that really helped us as well.”
The winter work starts Monday. The Dodgers have 72 hours to work out a new contract with Clayton Kershaw, or he can opt out and negotiate with all 30 teams, including the Dodgers.
“I think we’ll have some conversations, for sure,” Kershaw said.
“He says he wants to be a Dodger. We want him to be a Dodger,” Friedman said. “That’s all I really know at this point.”
Friedman also said the Dodgers intend to complete a long-term contract extension for manager Dave Roberts.
In the end, the World Series could have turned on two factors: first,the Red Sox owners agreed to pay the luxury tax this season, and the Dodgers owners did not; and, the Red Sox agreed to trade the best prospect in the minor leagues.
Alex Verdugo is a pretty good prospect. The Dodgers have held on to him for two years now, when they could have traded him to help the major league team. It is not at all clear that Verdugo has a place on next year’s team, particularly if Cody Bellinger remains in the outfield and Max Muncy plays first base.
The Dodgers have held tight to their elite prospects, and they have proudly deployed them: Corey Seager and Bellinger, consecutive National League rookies of the year; and Walker Buehler.
The Red Sox traded infielder Yoan Moncada, then the best prospect in baseball, in a package for Sale. The guy who threw the final pitch of the World Series, the one that sent the Dodgers home without a parade yet again, was Sale.
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