With a few month remaining within the MLB season, the Los Angeles Dodgers maintain a three-game lead within the NL West by means of Tuesday’s play and are a near-lock for the postseason.
Per ESPN Guess, the Dodgers are favored to win the World Sequence, however ought to they be? Los Angeles has holes because it goals to win its first World Sequence title since 2020.
Listed here are 5 the reason why Los Angeles is not pretty much as good a guess to win all of it as chances are you’ll suppose:
The offense is just too high heavy: After the 1-2-3 tandem on the high of the order of designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (41 HRs, 94 RBI), proper fielder Mookie Betts (.300 BA) and first baseman Freddie Freeman (17 HR, 73 RBI), nobody else within the lineup strikes concern into opponents.
Catcher and cleanup hitter Will Smith and third baseman Max Muncy are confirmed gamers, however each are having down seasons. Smith is hitting .244, 14 factors decrease than his profession common, whereas Muncy is batting solely .226.
The beginning pitching is a priority: After shedding star right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (shoulder/proper triceps) for many of the season, the rotation is worrisome for the postseason. (Yamamoto may return by October, per the Related Press.)
Starter Tyler Glasnow has already reached a profession excessive in innings (134) and is again on the injured record, Clayton Kershaw has been removed from dependable within the postseason all through his profession (13-13, 4.49 ERA), and the remainder of the rotation has little playoff expertise.
Dave Roberts is sweet, however … In 5 of Roberts’ eight seasons as supervisor of the Dodgers, he has received 100 or extra video games, but it surely virtually ought to be inconceivable to not win large with all of the expertise Los Angeles has assembled on the fifth-highest payroll within the majors (per Spotrac).
Within the postseason, although, Roberts is barely 45-39, so a World Sequence look is not assured.
Groups with the very best information normally do not win all of it: With 78 wins, the Dodgers are at the moment tied with the Phillies and Yankees for probably the most victories within the majors.
In accordance with MLB.com, since 1969, the workforce that finishes the common season with the very best file has received the World Sequence solely 15 instances.
A type of 15 had been the Dodgers in 2020. Take away that COVID-19-shortened season, nevertheless, and it has not been performed for the previous six seasons. Historical past doesn’t favor the Dodgers.
Divisional rivals a priority: Over the previous two seasons, the Dodgers have been eradicated from the postseason by the Padres in 2022 and Diamondbacks in 2023, potential opponents for the Dodgers within the first spherical of the playoffs.
This season, the Padres — who’ve three video games remaining in opposition to Los Angeles — received the season sequence over the Dodgers for the primary time since 2010. San Diego has received seven of 10 between the groups.
The Diamondbacks, in the meantime, lead the season sequence over the Dodgers, 5-4. The groups will meet as soon as extra, in a three-game sequence starting Friday.
Groups that had been as soon as intimidated by the Dodgers know they’re greater than able to beating them sequence.
The Dodgers will probably end with roughly 95 wins and get a first-round bye. However do not be stunned if, like final season, the Dodgers exit the playoffs early.
