When the Dodgers' last series against the Padres ended on Aug. 24, the rest of their schedule was supposed to be something of a breeze. Their next six series were against the Reds, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Orioles, Rockies, and Giants, five of whom were below-.500 teams at the time. The only serious projected challenger was the Phillies, who basically already had the NL East in hand by that point.
The Dodgers went ahead and spoiled opportunities against the Diamondbacks, Pirates, and Orioles Despite a sweep of the Rockies, it felt like they were coming into their series against Philadelphia battered and bruised.