After losing at home to the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers were motivated to return to the Fall Classic and end the championship drought that was running on 30 years.
As Justin Turner was recovering from a fractured wrist suffered late in Spring Training, and active players struggled with consistency, the Dodgers got off to the worst 40-game start in Los Angeles franchise history at 16-24. They fell to 16-24 before beginning to turn the year around.
It took them all season, but L.A. clawed back up to the top of the National League West standings to pull even with the Colorado Rockies.