Anyone who has followed major league baseball for any length of time knows that when you get down to the final few weeks of the season, there isn’t a player on the roster who isn’t beat up to some degree or another. Even guys who are referred to as ‘second-half’ players are dealing with some sort of aches, pains or are simply exhausted. And while this is something that every team must deal with, it is even more of an issue for teams headed to the postseason.

Late last week it was reported that 33-year-old Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez was dealing with what is being called a “stiff back.” And even though the default leader of the Dodgers clubhouse is attempting to play through the ailment, it could very well be the reason why the Dodgers overall most consistent slugger is hitting only .250 (42 for 168) since August 1 – this in spite of him picking up his team-leading 28th home run and team-leading 33rd double on Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Gonzalez collected his 28th home run of the season on Monday night – one more than all of last season and the most since joining the Dodgers in August of 2012. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although Gonzalez declined to comment on his stiff back, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly summed it up best.

“This time of year I think you always have [a nagging injury],” said Mattingly. “It’s just how severe it is.”

21-year-old Corey Seager continues his hot streak with this RBI double on Monday night – his eighth double and 11th RBI since his September 1 call-up. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

On Monday the Dodgers got off to a quick 2-0 lead over the third-place Diamondbacks on AGon’s first-inning solo home run and an RBI single by rookie phenom Corey Seager. But Dodgers starter Brett Anderson clearly left his A-Game in the clubhouse on Monday night when he allowed four consecutive hits including a home run, a double and two singles that chased him from the game after only 4.2 innings. Anderson was charged with five runs on 10 hits (including two home runs) while walking one and striking out one.

“There’s only a handful of times where I’ve felt like I just got beat and today was one of those times,” Anderson told reporters after the game. “Sometimes you’ve just got to tip your cap.”

Dodgers left-hander Brett Anderson has made 29 starts with the Dodgers this season. Monday night’s was one of his worst. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

With the Dodgers eventual 8-4 loss to the Dbacks and with the Giants idle, the team’s lead in the NL West is now 7.0 games while their magic number to clinch the division remains stalled at seven. Additionally, with the loss, the Dodgers can no longer mathematically clinch the division during this home stand and will have to attempt to do so in Colorado or (Heaven forbid) at AT&T Park in San Francisco. And while it would be uber sweet to do so in front of Giants fans, the Dodgers are 0-6 at AT&T this season.

One can only hope that the Dodgers’ collective nagging injuries, aches and pains aren’t too bad and will allow them to play into November.