© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The last time the Giants and Dodgers met, punches were thrown, tackles were made and both Nick Hundley and Yasiel Puig were ejected. The Giants took two of the three games in LA in that mid-August series, but were promptly dealt a playoff-crushing blow with a three-game sweep by the Cincinnati Reds.
While the Giants have lost 25 of their last 37 games and went on a San Francisco-record 11-game losing streak since that series, the Dodgers have won 23 of their 37 and hold onto the second National League Wild Card spot. All the Giants have left to play for is the potential to knock LA out of the playoffs, or at the very least, prevent them from winning the NL West, which the Dodgers trail the first-place Colorado Rockies for by a game.
“I think it means something to the players,” said manager Bruce Bochy. “I know it means something to the fans.”
The Giants have 32 active players (including Ryder Jones, who’s out for the year with a dislocated knee) compared to the Dodgers’ 40, the maximum allowed during the September 40-man roster period. With that in mind, Bochy said he was hoping to avoid a similar situation to the last time the two teams met.
“We’ll try and keep away from clearing benches tonight,” Bochy said. “We’re outnumbered… They’ve got a battalion over there.”
Bochy is well-aware that the Dodgers have more than enough depth on their roster to deal with injuries to Yasiel Puig, Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson (and Cory Seager, who’s been out all year after receiving Tommy John surgery for a UCL sprain in his right elbow).
“This is a really good team we’re playing with a lot of depth,” Bochy said. “It’s not like you’re going to be able to get a matchup you want.”