Getting into the weekend, the 4 finest data in baseball belonged to the Yankees, Phillies, Guardians and Orioles. The Dodgers had the fifth-best file in MLB, and so they have been a full six video games behind the Yankees. For many individuals again within the spring, listening to such a factor would’ve certified as an upset, even perhaps a significant upset.
Curiously, they have been nonetheless the betting favorites to win the World Sequence, simply as they’re Monday morning at +300.
It is not stunning that they’d have shorter odds than the Orioles or Guardians, however the Yankees and Phillies are each fairly nicely constructed for the postseason and play in giant markets — the Yankees a mega-market. This could be an excellent illustration of the Dodgers model at this level. They have been within the playoffs so many occasions in a row and are such a juggernaut that they sit above the Yankees within the minds of the betting public.
Additionally, it is totally attainable the books and bettors are trying ahead on the Dodgers’ playoff potential. There is not a lot doubt that they’re going to be there. Most projection programs have them within the 99-100% vary for making the postseason. Should you have a look at some areas the place they’ve stumbled at occasions this season, we would get into lineup depth and the banged-up rotation.
Within the playoffs, depth would not a lot matter. You are going to play the perfect gamers each day and the Dodgers have Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman along with a strong supporting forged with Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith. That is 5 big bats that few different groups may match. By the tip of the yr, the rotation may home a completely practical Clayton Kershaw together with Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Perhaps Walker Buehler lastly will get again to trying like his outdated self by then, too.
The potential is there for a stellar postseason run. That is why the chances have been the best way they have been earlier than the Dodgers went into Yankee Stadium for a attainable World Sequence preview this previous weekend.
And so they went into Yankee Stadium and confirmed everybody how they will flex their muscle tissues on the massive stage. Yamamoto dominated on Friday and the Dodgers outlasted the Yankees in a pitchers duel. Saturday, behind a Hernández explosion, they put up 11 runs in a rout. They pushed the hell out of the Yankees Sunday night time, falling simply quick, however taking two of three within the Bronx is a superb sequence.
After all, it nonetheless is not sufficient to place the Dodgers on prime of the Energy Rankings this week. They’re 5 video games worse than the perfect file in baseball whereas the Yankees, Phillies and Orioles all have a greater run differential. Earlier than they received the sequence in New York, they misplaced one in Pittsburgh. They’ve misplaced greater than they’ve received of their final 17 (8-9). I am not going to be put them over the Yankees simply because they received a sequence over them, particularly since Juan Soto was out for the Yanks (and the Yankees possible win Friday if Soto wasn’t out, because it was a scoreless tie going to the eleventh).
That is positively an elite group, however it’s not — at this particular second — the perfect group in baseball, even when it could be the one most certainly to win the World Sequence.
Greatest Movers
|
Rk |
Groups |
Chg |
Rcrd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|
I worry that my man Anthony Rizzo is cooked, that means first base is the weak spot for the Yanks. | — | 46-21 |
2 |
|
The loss on Sunday was their twentieth of the season. They misplaced their twentieth sport Might 14 final yr and Might 19 in 2022. | — | 45-20 |
3 |
|
Adley Rutschman is 4 for six with two grand slams with the bases loaded this season. Sunday, he drove dwelling six runs. That was the sixteenth time in franchise historical past a catcher had a 6-RBI sport, with the newest pre-Adley being Pedro Severino in 2021. | 1 | 42-22 |
4 |
|
Bear in mind Yamamoto’s first begin? He coughed up 5 runs in an inning and I am positive there have been rubes someplace overreacting. In his 12 begins since, he is 6-1 with a 2.41 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 71 innings. | 1 | 41-26 |
5 |
|
The Guardians are on tempo to win 106 video games now. Solely as soon as in franchise historical past has this ballclub received greater than 102 video games and that was in 1954 with 111. The second-highest complete was 102, which we simply noticed in 2017. | — | 42-22 |
6 |
|
The all-category season Bobby Witt Jr. is having is fairly ridiculous. He is on tempo for 209 hits, 39 doubles, 17 triples, 27 dwelling runs, 115 RBI, 137 runs and 47 steals. Holy smokes. | 1 | 39-27 |
7 |
|
For practically the final decade, the Brewers all the time felt like they have been taking part in higher than their roster mentioned they need to be, punching above their weight, if you’ll. I typically credited Craig Counsell’s managerial abilities as a part of the rationale. He is gone now and so they proceed to look as overachievers. Perhaps it wasn’t him in any respect. Kudos to those Brewers. | 1 | 38-27 |
8 |
|
It is solely six begins, however Bryan Woo has a 1.07 ERA and 0.54 WHIP. If solely they may generate some offense for this pitching employees. | 2 | 37-30 |
9 |
|
Does not it really feel like they’re manner worse than final season? Effectively, at this level final yr, they have been 39-24, so whereas they’re a bit behind the tempo, they don’t seem to be far off. I feel the sensation is totally different due to their finest pitcher and finest place participant being accomplished for the season, and in addition how good the Phillies have been to date. | 1 | 35-28 |
10 |
|
On Might 14, the Twins had received 17 of 20. They have been then swept by the Yankees and went into a brief tailspin. Final week presently, they’d received 9 of 12. Then they acquired swept by the Yankees and misplaced their two following video games for a five-game dropping streak. I suppose the excellent news is they do not play the Yankees once more this yr. No less than not within the common season… | 1 | 34-31 |
11 |
|
Jarren Duran tripled for the tenth time this season on Sunday. Might he get to twenty? We aren’t midway into the season. There have solely been three 20-triple seasons within the 2000s (Cristian Guzman, 20, 2000; Jimmy Rollins, 20, 2007; Curtis Granderson, 23, 2007). For these curious, the single-season file is 36 (Owen Wilson, 1912). | 1 | 33-33 |
12 |
|
Bo Bichette’s season-long stat line nonetheless seems horrible in comparison with his established normal, however he is largely been his outdated self within the final 20 video games or so. It is a respectable signal for an offense in determined want of inner enchancment. | 7 | 32-33 |
13 |
|
The Padres nonetheless have not swept a sequence this season. They’ve been swept by the Angels and Rockies, although. It is definitely sub-optimal for a contender to function in such a fashion. I might wish to drop them additional, however nobody else is nice. There are solely 10 groups above .500! | 2 | 34-35 |
14 |
|
The State of the Nationwide League: The Giants broke a six-game dropping streak this previous week and nonetheless sit beneath .500, which is nice for the thick of the playoff race. | — | 32-34 |
15 |
|
The loss Sunday ended a seven-game successful streak for the Reds. That they had gotten into playoff place throughout the run. | 7 | 32-34 |
16 |
|
In 1972, Steve Carlton went 27-10 for a group that completed 59-97. This may not be practically as excessive, however the Tigers are actually 10-3 when Tarik Skubal pitches and 22-30 when he would not. | 2 | 32-33 |
17 |
|
The champs have not been above .500 since Might 18. There’s nonetheless loads of time, particularly within the AL West and with three wild-card spots out there, however it bears point out that we have not seen a repeat champion since 2000. | 4 | 31-34 |
18 |
|
That is a 4-2 week and so they stay 5.5 video games out within the AL West. I stay steadfast in my perception that they’re going to discover a technique to win it, however they possible want beginning pitching assist in entrance of the commerce deadline now. | 1 | 30-36 |
19 |
|
Aroldis Chapman has had a number of latest outings the place he was working again up nicely over 100 miles per hour. He is additionally now strung collectively six straight scoreless outings with eight strikeouts in six innings. | 2 | 31-34 |
20 |
|
Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are on tempo to hit a mixed 33 dwelling runs this season. That is simply not gonna minimize it, particularly with Willson Contreras harm. | 5 | 31-33 |
21 |
|
The Rays are actually 5-13 towards groups above .500. The upcoming schedule is comparatively tough, too, with the Rays dealing with the Braves, Twins and Mariners within the subsequent few weeks. | 5 | 31-34 |
22 |
|
Are they beginning to get up? The defending NL champs are actually 6-3 in June. | 2 | 31-35 |
23 |
|
Because of taking three of 4 from the Braves, the Nats are only one.5 video games out of playoff place. Everybody between 11 and 24 right here is simply so bunched up. | 3 | 30-35 |
24 |
|
Look, not everybody could be Batman. It is turning into an increasing number of clear that Jed Hoyer was merely Theo Epstein’s Robin. | 1 | 32-34 |
25 |
|
Jeff McNeil went 2 for 4 on Sunday, elevating his slash line to .232/.300/.324. The batting title, All-Star journey, Silver Slugger and down-ballot MVP candidacy positive seem to be ages in the past. These occurred in 2022. | — | 28-36 |
26 |
|
That is a 4-2 week towards two playoff hopefuls. Not too shabby, particularly that comeback on Sunday. | 3 | 25-40 |
27 |
|
Shea Langeliers has 12 homers. No A’s catcher has topped 25 dwelling runs since Terry Steinbach hit 35 in 1996. | 1 | 26-41 |
28 |
|
Off the highest of your head, are you able to title the 2023 All-Star Recreation MVP? It is a powerful one. It was Elias Díaz. He would possibly get to defend his title, too, as he is hitting .305/.353/.442 this season. | 1 | 23-42 |
29 |
|
This previous week, the Marlins lastly designated Avisaíl García for task, placing an finish to his time with the group in his third yr of a four-year, $53 million deal. He posted -1.7 WAR in his time with the Marlins. | 1 | 22-43 |
30 |
|
They’re on tempo to go 42-120. Previous to 2018, the White Sox had solely three 100-loss seasons in franchise historical past. This yr they will make it 3 times within the final six full seasons. | — | 17-49 |
