FIRST HALF REVIEW
HOW THEY GOT HERE: If the Dodgers’ first half felt familiar – it should have. For the second year in a row they spent big in the offseason (Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, Roki Sasaki and Kirby Yates) in order to assemble a deep and talented pitching staff only to have that group gutted by injuries. At one point this season, the Dodgers had 14 pitchers on the injured list. For the second year in a row, they lost a key piece from the lineup in June and the offense stalled in the wake of that subtraction. Last year it was shortstop/right fielder Mookie Betts (fractured hand) and third baseman Max Muncy (rib injury). This year it was only Muncy (knee). They slumped into the All-Star break each year. Last year, they lost six of their last seven before the break. This year, it was seven of nine. And in both cases – it didn’t matter. They reached the break leading the National League West again this season for the ninth time in the past 11 full seasons, by five games or more for the fifth time in the past eight years and with the best record in the NL for the fourth time in those eight seasons. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-7, 2.59 ERA) emerged as the staff ace this year. But the offense carried the load, leading the majors in runs scored before the break thanks in large part to Shohei Ohtani (NL-best 32 home runs and .987 OPS and MLB-high 91 runs scored) and Will Smith (NL-leading .323 average and .425 on-base percentage).
SECOND HALF PREVIEW
KEYS TO SUCCESS: There is reason for optimism about getting back to full strength – or at least a close approximation. Snell and Blake Treinen should return before the start of August and Muncy could be back for the stretch run. Sasaki and Brusdar Graterol are wild cards that could impact the pitching staff before the end of the regular season. That’s the team the Dodgers hope to take into October – one that features plenty of starting pitching options, a sturdy bullpen and a deep lineup. That lineup has not been clicking on all cylinders for awhile. Since the start of June, Betts (.229/.280/.347), Freddie Freeman (.203/.269/.280) and even Ohtani (a .209 average since he returned to pitching on June 16) have been in slumps. Teoscar Hernandez has struggled as well (.197/.244/.328). They are the foundation of this team and need to produce if the Dodgers are going to repeat as World Series champions.
BIGGEST CONCERN: The Dodgers’ bullpen has worked harder than any in MLB this season (427 innings). And that group has done that with Evan Phillips lost to Tommy John surgery, Michael Kopech out until at least September following knee surgery, Treinen missing most of the season with a forearm injury and both Scott (seven blown saves) and Yates underwhelming. Ben Casparius and Jack Dreyer have been unexpectedly valuable performers in that bullpen. But this group needs reinforcements from within (Treinen, Graterol and Kopech possibly) or without (via trade). If you want something else to worry about – Betts is having by far the worst season of his career and there is no obvious reason for it (no injury or physical reason to blame). He has been better at shortstop than most expectations, but at 32 years old is he no longer the dynamic offensive player that he has been in the past?
TRADE POSSIBILITIES: Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has been open and honest – he doesn’t want to pay the price it costs to acquire starting pitching at midseason. There seem to be enough in-house options for him to avoid that this year. But the bullpen could use help. Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanual Clase won’t come cheap nor will Minnesota Twins right-handers Jhoan Duran or Griffin Jax or Baltimore Orioles closer Felix Bautista (back from Tommy John surgery this year). But the Dodgers are likely to aim high and, as always, have the prospect depth to make a big move. With outfielder Michael Conforto a disappointment and Muncy sidelined, a left-handed hitter is another acquisition that makes sense. Would the Orioles move Cedric Mullins (a free agent this winter) or would the Rockies send Ryan McMahon to a division rival?
SCHEDULE: The Dodgers have a challenging three-city trip to Boston, Cincinnati and Tampa at the end of July and early August. After that, though, they leave the state for just four of their next 25 games – and those four are against the woeful Rockies. If that isn’t enough to lock down a 12th division title in the past 13 years, the September schedule features seven games against the Giants (three in San Francisco, four at Dodger Stadium) and three in Arizona.