In the preseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers were the clear favorites to win the World Series. With the additions of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a team that had already won 100 games the previous year, they entered the season with the potential to be one of the all-time great teams.
However, the regular season brought significant challenges, primarily due to injuries. The Dodgers announced early on that Ohtani wouldn’t pitch this year, and any contributions from Clayton Kershaw were seen as a bonus. But the team also lost key players like Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Gavin Stone, Dustin May, and River Ryan, which weakened their strong pitching staff. Additionally, Mookie Betts missed two months with a broken hand.
Despite these setbacks, it’s remarkable that the Dodgers still managed to win 98 games. They found their rhythm in October, overcoming a 2-1 series deficit against the San Diego Padres in the Division Series with back-to-back shutouts in Games 4 and 5. They then blanked the New York Mets in the first game of the NLCS and eventually won the series in six games, securing their place in the World Series.
However, it’s too soon to bet on Dave Roberts’ team just yet. While the Dodgers are slight favorites over the New York Yankees, the Yankees are a strong opponent capable of taking advantage of the Dodgers’ vulnerabilities.
