Dodgers ponder what went wrong

It’s back to the drawing board for the Los Angeles Dodgers, whose World Series title drought now stands at 31 years.

This time, they didn’t even make it that far.

The Dodgers’ postseason fell apart in the NL Division Series with a 73 defeat to the Washington Nationals in Game 5, an inglorious ending for a team coming off backtoback World Series appearances.

“This is not anything we were prepared for,” said reliever Joe Kelly, who gave up the tiebreaking grand slam to Howie Kendrick in the 10th inning Wednesday night.

Indeed, the Dodgers made no secret that winning a record seventh straight NL West title while piling up 106 victories — secondmost in the majors — was just a prelude to fulfilling their ultimate goal of earning the franchise’s first World Series title since 1988.

“We all knew we were better than what we showed out there,” infielder Max Muncy said. “Sometimes it’s not meant to be.”

The Dodgers now have all winter to contemplate what went wrong.

There are offseason decisions looming, starting with president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. His contract expires at the end of this month.

Clayton Kershaw is heading into the second year of a $93 million, threeyear deal he signed last November. The threetime Cy Young Award winner had a blown save in the decisive Game 5, giving up home runs on consecutive pitches that allowed Washington to tie the score.

“I’m not going to hang my head,” Kershaw said. “I will be here next year and try to do the same thing and try to do it every single year.” Murphy’s surgery: A’s catcher Sean Murphy, who burst onto the scene late in the season and became a regular presence in Oakland’s lineup, had surgery on his left knee Thursday

Murphy had the surgery in Phoenix, performed by Dr. Thomas Carter. The procedure involved a lateral meniscal debridement, according to the A’s. They exepect Murphy to be ready for spring training.

Murphy, who turned 25 on Thursday, joined the A’s when rosters expanded Sept. 1. He started hot at the plate — smacking four home runs in his first seven games — and ultimately hit .245 in 20 regularseason games, covering 60 plate appearances. Kapler fired: Phillies manager Gabe Kapler was fired nearly two weeks after the team’s disappointing finish to a season of big expectations. Kapler went 161163 in two years, his team unable to deliver following its offseason spending spree.

Philadelphia finished 8181, its first nonlosing season since 2012.