The Los Angeles Dodgers are gearing up to do something that hasn’t been done in 24 consecutive seasons—win back-to-back World Series titles. They are not just looking to contend but rather to dominate and win. After all, when you get Cy Young winners, international sensations, and established stars atop a roster that’s already stacked, anything less than the World Series title seems a little of a letdown. Doesn’t it?
The evil empire of baseball, they are called. And well, on paper, sure, the team is kind of terrifying. Shohei Ohtani is fresh off his MVP-caliber season, finishing his 50-50 and ready to lead. There is Mookie Betts, who has been relentless to get better this offseason, and Freddie Freeman, who is on fire. Not to mention they even have Roki Sasaki, who shocked everyone with his debut in spring training. With 98 wins last season and 100 in the year before, it is safe to say they are dominating.
In fact, when The Athletic hosted the Hope-O-Meter survey, they asked fans, “Are you optimistic about your favorite MLB team this season?” A whopping 99.7% of fans were optimistic about the Dodgers rocking it this season. They were first on the list. Even now some feel the hype, while others don’t. And one them happens to be ESPN’s Eric Karabell.
Eric Karabell, although he understands that the Dodgers are a strong team, still doesn’t see them reaching the NLCS. “The Dodgers win 96 games, but not the NLCS,” Karabell predicted. But his reasoning does make sense. “Well, nobody will like this, but no Dodgers starting pitcher makes more than 25 trips to the mound or reaches 150 IP,” said Karabell. This is a major red flag.
Pitching depth has been the Los Angeles Dodgers’ strength. But the core problem they have is durability. Last season, everyone saw Dodgers stars reach IL like falling dominos. Karabell thinks Shohei Ohtani will make just 10 starts on the mound. Just one more than Clayton Kershaw. But is the durability issue such a concern that they won’t make it to the National League? Well, other things come into play to make things murky.
The NL is stacked up, and everyone from the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants is good enough to be playoff contenders in their division. And in the deep postseason runs, there are the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and New York Mets. So winning the pennant won’t be simple. The Mets in particular will house Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, and more. But the Dodgers simply thrive under pressure. Last season, despite many odds, they ended up winning!
Los Angeles Dodgers trim roster before being Tokyo-bound
Now as the Dodgers gear up for Opening Day in Japan, they have made some final roster moves. While some were expected, the other were simply surprising. One of the biggest moves—Hyeseong Kim won’t be making the trip to Japan. The Dodgers’ major off-season acquisition will start the season in Triple-A Oklahoma City. Dave Roberts doubled down on this decision, saying that Kim needs time to adjust to MLB-level pitching now. He hit just 6-for-29, so it is understandable. The team thought it best for him to stay in Arizona rather than jump into the big league.
Jun 19, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
After him, even Bobby Miller won’t be able to make it. He is still ramping up after taking a 105.5 mph line drive to the leg in his first spring appearance. Along with him and Kim, the team also reassigned other players like Michael Chavis, Giovanny Gallegos, Dalton Rushing, David Bote, and Eddie Rosario.
Although Bote not making it onto the Los Angeles Dodgers list is definitely a head-scratcher. He put up a fantastic number this spring. He slashed. 400 with two home runs and a 1.171 OPS. He had what it takes to crack the roster. But the problem is there is no spot left for him. Right now he could either opt out of his minor league deal or maybe find a better opportunity elsewhere.
Now with these moves, the Los Angeles Dodgers are definitely Japan-bound. Do you think the Dodgers can silence the doubters this time around too? Let us know.
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