NLDS 2017: Here’s why the Diamondbacks will beat the Dodgers

Here are five reasons as to why the Arizona Diamondbacks de-throne the Dodgers in the NLDS:

After a roller coaster thrill ride of a Wild Card game against the Rockies, the Arizona Diamondbacks are now shifting focus and honing in on the NLDS. Much like the Wild Card game, the Diamondbacks face off against a familiar foe in the divisional series. But this time, instead of a slightly-lesser Colorado team, it’s the mighty, red-hot Dodgers. The two teams are about as familiar with each other as two sides can get. Playing in the same division saw the two clubs meet 19 times throughout the season, so the sample size on this match-up is pretty large, to say the least.

Despite an up-and-down performance in the wild-card game, there are still many reasons to be hopeful about the Diamondbacks. The D-Backs pitching struggled at times against the Rockies but recorded the outs that meant the most. The offense showed great strength, lighting up the scoreboard with resiliency and relentlessness, especially in later innings. In total, Arizona racked up an astonishing 17 hits and when it mattered most, dominated the Rockies. However, taking a foot off the gas isn’t going to fly with the surging Dodgers and the Diamondbacks know that. Arizona nearly suffered a melt-down late in the game, with the Rockies pulling within one run before the D-Backs put up a three-spot in the bottom of the 8th.

Every pitch matters now as the field continues to lessen en route to the World Series, there’s very little room for error. In the end, it’s October, anything can happen. Here are five reasons to believe in the Arizona Diamondbacks throughout the National League Division Series:

5. J.D. Martinez and the Diamondbacks offense

The Diamondbacks offense is here for October, there’s no doubt about it.

In the two games that Arizona has played in October, they’ve managed to post double-digit runs in both of them (14-2 over KC; 11-8 over COL). On paper, the Diamondbacks have the statistical advantage over the Dodgers in nearly every aspect. Here’s how they stack up in each offensive category:

Runs
ARI: 812
LAD: 770

Hits
ARI: 1405
LAD: 1347

HRs
ARI: 220
LAD: 221

AVG
ARI: .254
LAD: .249

OPS
ARI: .774
LAD: .771

In terms of swinging the bat, the Diamondbacks are one of the MLB’s top 10 teams in nearly every rank. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are middle of the pack. Amongst the National League, Arizona ranked fourth in runs scored. They trail only Colorado, Chicago, and Washington, who are all playoff teams.

By and large, much of the Diamondbacks offensive success can be traced back to one superstar: J.D. Martinez. Since coming to Arizona, Martinez has made himself a candidate for the NL MVP. His stats are breathtaking. In 62 games with the Diamondbacks, Martinez is hitting .302/.366/.741 with 29 HRs, 65 RBIs and a 1.107 OPS. To put it simply, he’s been superb. Although the Diamondbacks offense was already a powerhouse prior to his arrival, Martinez has sprung the team into elite offensive ranks as of late. The Diamondbacks need Martinez’s leadership and offensive skills at their highest levels to have any chance of defeating the Dodgers. With the way the 30-year-old has played thus far, there’s no question that’ll happen.