PHOENIX — They didn’t dogpile on the mound. They were animated but relatively reserved in an abbreviated clubhouse champagne shower.
It was no doubt a celebratory moment for the Dodgers, capturing their 12th division title in the last 13 years with an 8-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday.
But it was accompanied by moments of internal reflection, as well. About a regular season that has posed challenges at every turn. About a six-month slog in which frustration and adversity were around every corner.
“This has been a tough year,” third baseman Max Muncy said.