After two important victories at Milwaukee’s American Family Field, the Dodgers will play the third game of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) on Thursday in Los Angeles. The return home with two wins under their belt is a relief for Dave Roberts’ team, although the record of home teams at this stage of the postseason does not necessarily invite optimism.
So far, no one has managed to win at home during the Championship Series, which could set alarm bells ringing for the Dodgers. In addition to the Brewers’ two failures in Milwaukee, in Toronto the Blue Jays were unable to make the cross in the first two games against Seattle, while the Mariners were thrashed at home by the Canadian organization’s reborn offense.
The signs are clear for the Angels, who will jump on the grass at Chavez Ravine for the first time during the current NLCS with the goal of checkmating their duel against the Brewers. So far, brilliant pitching performances from Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have allowed them to take a comfortable lead, but it could come crashing down with the curse of the home teams.
The Dodgers and their history
The Dodgers have lost at least one home game in 15 of the 16 Championship Series they have played in their history. The only time they managed to come through unscathed was in 2017, when they steamrolled the Cubs, although they then lost in the Fall Classic against Houston in a duel long remembered for the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal
The Dodgers have always won at least one home game in the Championship Series since their first appearance in 1974, and overall they have a record of 24 wins and 19 losses.
Of their 16 appearances in these battles for the National League pennant, they have advanced to the World Series nine times and lost seven times. Of their eliminations, only two (1985 and 2008) have occurred at Dodger Stadium, something that cannot happen now, as a sweep by the Brewers would only force a return to Milwaukee.
Home teams in Championship Series
The MLB Championship Series, the prelude to the Fall Classic, began in each league in 1969. Since then, being the host has not always been a guarantee of success. Although the overall balance is 317 wins and 262 losses for the home team, in some periods luck has not smiled on them in front of their fans.
For example, in the 1990s, of the 10 Championship Series that were held, the teams that played at home only managed to finish with a positive record in two seasons: 1992 and 1998. Also, from 1976 to 1983, a span of eight campaigns, the hosts managed more wins than losses in just two seasons.
In the last 15 years, the trend has been different: of 13 seasons, in ten the hosts won more than they lost in their stadiums. However, in this same period from 2011 to 2024, the record for most losses (ten) for home teams in Championship Series during a single postseason was set (2023).
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