Why the Dodgers' return to the World Series was only a matter of time

"From the outside, the Dodgers know the easy narrative to their season. About how, after beginning the campaign with the highest expectations imaginable, they spent much of the year failing to live up to the hype. How, during what was already a dismal second-half slump, they seemed to reach rock bottom when they squandered a no-hitter and three-run lead in a stunning ninth-inning loss in Baltimore last month."

"It's a long season. It's a lot of games. We dealt with a lot." But, Muncy added as beer and sparkling wine were sprayed all around him in the Dodgers clubhouse Friday night, in celebration of the team's fifth Fall Classic trip in the last nine seasons: "We always knew what we had in the clubhouse. We always knew what we had on the field. Now, you're starting to see it."

Dodgers began the season with the highest expectations but spent much of the year failing to meet the hype. A dismal second-half slump culminated in a ninth-inning loss in Baltimore when they squandered a no-hitter and a three-run lead. The team then finished the regular season 15-5 and went 9-1 in October, securing the National League pennant and a return to the World Series. Players said the peaks and valleys were never as extreme as they appeared and emphasized clubhouse talent and resilience. The previous Fall Classic championship felt surprising because of injuries and rotation issues the prior postseason.

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