bleacherreport
The Los Angeles Dodgers, boasting the second-highest payroll in Major League Baseball and a roster filled with stars, have captured the last two World Series championships. However, their quest for a third consecutive title hit a snag on Sunday, as they dropped Game 2 of the National League Division Series to the Atlanta Braves by a score of 3-2.
Following the defeat, infielder Miguel Rojas addressed the media, stressing that despite the team's talent, nothing comes easily in baseball. "People think because we have a really good team, it should be easy. In baseball, nothing is easy," Rojas said. "If we're going to do this, we're going to have to go through heaven and hell."
In Game 2, the Braves relied on their bullpen once again, with unexpected contributors Ray Kerr and Didier Fuentes effectively quieting the Dodgers' powerful lineup. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani continues to struggle, having gone 20 consecutive games without a home run. The challenge intensifies as the series shifts to Atlanta for Game 3, where the Dodgers will face Braves ace Chris Sale.
Key Analysis
Max Muncy, the Dodgers' third baseman, echoed Rojas's sentiments, highlighting the difficulty of sustaining postseason success year after year. "I've been saying this for a long time now: I don't think people truly appreciate how hard it is to make a deep postseason run year in and year out," Muncy remarked. "You see it every year with teams that make these runs and the next year they're not even close to the same. They're hurt. They're worn out. They've got things going on. We've been able to weather that for a lot of years now. The Division Series is obviously not as much of a sprint as the Wild Card. But it's a sprint. It's five games. It's short. They're really, really tough to play."
Originally reported by bleacherreport.