Dodgers Make An Early Exit From Postseason For Third Straight Year

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers' season crashed and burned well short of the World Series — again.

A team with a record $289.6 million payroll managed just two playoff victories before losing 3-2 to the New York Mets in a decisive Game 5 of their NL Division Series on Thursday night.

The Dodgers won their third consecutive NL West title and made the playoffs for a franchise-record third straight season, their first under the new duo of president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi. But the end was the same as under the previous regime.

Asked where the loss leaves him for next season, manager Don Mattingly replied, "Seriously, you're asking me that now?"

Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, two of baseball's best pitchers, managed two wins in their four starts.

"We had the opportunity to win the World Series. Not a single person in this clubhouse didn't think so," left fielder Kike Hernandez said. "To get to the first round and be one and done, it's pretty frustrating. We should have won this game."

Greinke, who gave up a tiebreaking home run to Daniel Murphy in the sixth, may have thrown his last pitch for the Dodgers. The right-hander, who turns 32 next week, has the option of voiding the last three years of his contract and becoming a free agent. He would forfeit $71 million in remaining salary, but after leading the majors with a 1.66 ERA this season he likely would find a richer deal.

"It would be nice to be back," he said in a quiet clubhouse. "I'm not even thinking about it. It's more about today, I guess. Maybe after I get home."

Los Angeles doesn't have any titles to show for more than $780 million in payroll over the last three season. In addition to this year's payroll, the Dodgers will owe about $40 million more in luxury tax.

Last year, they were eliminated by St. Louis in a four-game NLDS, when Kershaw lost both of his starts. In 2013, Kershaw went 0-2 at the Cardinals won the NL Championship Series in six games.

Kershaw, the reigning NL MVP and a three-time Cy Young Award winner, was tagged with his franchise-record fifth straight postseason defeat in this year's opener against the Mets before bouncing back with a dominant performance to win Game 4 in New York and force the best-of-five series back to Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles hasn't reached the World Series since 1988.

Playing on the 27th anniversary of Kirk Gibson's famous World Series home run, the Dodgers failed to come up with a big drive, going 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position after Andre Ethier's first-inning RBI single.

"There are really no words to describe how you feel right now," Mattingly said.

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