Diamondbacks-Dodgers series expected to draw huge crowds with NL West race heated up

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks could grab the National League West lead by the end of a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers starting Friday night. On the other hand, the Dodgers have a chance to reclaim their stronghold for an 11th division title in 12 years.

This weekend at Chase Field presents one of the more impactful regular season matchups between the D-backs and Dodgers in years, and the ballpark will be packed to see it.

The Diamondbacks are anticipating around 170,000 fans during these four games with a sellout on Saturday. More than 40,000 fans are expected for each of the first three games. This is the last meeting between the two NL West foes during this regular season, and it will start with a marquee pitching matchup.

Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen is coming off one of his best starts (six shutout innings at Fenway Park) of the year and will take the hill opposing Los Angeles legend Clayton Kershaw.

“Our fans brought it last postseason,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “When they’re here, they make a difference, and I want to say thank you to them prior to the series. I know it’s going to be a wild one. I think there’s a projection of almost 180,000 fans coming out here, so if you want to watch some good baseball played the right way between two good teams, this is where you need to be this weekend.”

The Diamondbacks (76-58) enter this four-game series trailing Los Angeles (80-54) by four games in the division. This is the first time since 2018 that these two clubs will match up so close in the standings this late in the season.

In 2018, on the same exact dates as this season’s matchup, Dodgers won three out of four games to take a division lead they never relinquished. Arizona led by 1.5 games going in, and when the two clubs met again three weeks later, L.A. had an eight-game lead. The Dodgers won the next five regular season series against Arizona, although the Diamondbacks had the last laugh in 2023 with a sweep of Los Angeles in the NLDS, doing so with four home runs in one inning at Chase Field.

What is the Diamondbacks’ record vs. the Dodgers this season?

This time, the Diamondbacks can clinch the season series and tiebreaker with at least a split, as they lead five games to four. Arizona won each of its last two series against the Dodgers, both at Chavez Ravine. The D-backs have outscored the Dodgers 51-41 in nine games this year.

A Diamondbacks series win cuts the division lead in half, and a sweep sets up an even race for the final four weeks of the season.

Both teams are in prime position to make the postseason, as the Dodgers have a 100% chance and the Diamondbacks a 94.5% chance, via FanGraphs projections.

The Diamondbacks did not win the division last year and still won the National League pennant. But what an accomplishment it would be to follow up their pennant win with their first division championship banner since 2011 despite all the adversity. Both teams have pushed through many significant injuries to reach this point, and the D-backs are still without Ketel Marte, Christian Walker and Gabriel Moreno.

Diamondbacks-Dodgers mindset

Lovullo said simply playing their best baseball is the Diamondbacks’ goal, as the last thing the Diamondbacks need is to make one series bigger and try to do too much. Being yourself was Lovullo’s message to the players. That said, of course he also appreciates the opportunity to hunt down the division leaders.

“I think the community got really involved last year during the playoffs. Maybe we all exercised a few demons that we’ve been carrying around, not going to lie,” Lovullo said. “The Dodgers are a very good team, a great organization and they’ve been carrying the torch around for a long time. But we love that challenge. We embrace each opportunity we have to show the world we’re a good baseball team.”

“Same mindset, go out there and have fun, play really good baseball and just get the W,” shortstop Geraldo Perdomo said. “We treat everybody the same. I think this is going to be good match for us. I think for them, it’s going to be the best starting pitcher they have. And for us, it’s going to be our best starting pitcher.”

First pitch Friday is at 6:40 p.m. on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app. 

Follow @alexjweiner