Flushing, NY- The Los Angeles Dodgers have shaped into a October juggernaut. The first team to get to 90 wins this season, and yet, it’s not even September. Additionally, Los Angeles leads all of MLB in batting average, runs scored, RBI, and OBP.
The Dodgers are constructed as a well-oiled machine down the line — three former MVPs within the lineup, a top tier starting pitching staff; an elite bullpen, championship-winning defense, and a proven coaching staff led by manager Dave Roberts.
“The thing that we can appreciate most is we just play all around good baseball,” Roberts recently stated. “This is a relentless team. I think it just goes back to just putting a certain expectation on how we play baseball.”
Other than achieving the 90-win mark before September, LA’s dominance goes further than just the win-loss column.
2022 MLB Team Leaders – Run Differential
LA Dodgers: +287
NY Yankees: + 196
Houston Astros: +158
NY Mets: +126
The capabilities out of the Dodgers lineup are arguably the most dangerous across MLB. A trio of Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Trea Turner makes for a threat to any opposing pitcher out there. Freeman is currently leading all of MLB in hits (164) as his teammate Turner continues to climb the boards with a total of 163 on the season.
In the month of August, Betts has recorded a .333 batting average, eight HR, and 17 RBI with a .388 on base percentage. He was recently named the National League Player of the Week for August 22nd-August 28th.
On the mound, Dodgers pitching have faced a multitude of injuries this season, including IL stints to LHP Clayton Kershaw, RHP Tony Gonsolin, RHP Blake Treinen, and the loss of RHP Walker Buehler due to season-ending surgery. Nevertheless, LA continues to weather the storm with ace-like performances day-in and day-out.
The resurgence of LHP Andrew Heaney and rise of LHP Tyler Anderson made immediate impacts on the pitching staff. Heaney has compiled a 2.12 ERA in 10 outings with a 2-1 record this season, while Anderson is 13-2 with a 2.69 ERA in 140.2 innings pitched, 22 games started.
Julio Urías, recipient of the 2021 National League Starting Pitcher LatinoMVP, has carried over his dominance from last season into 2022. In 25 starts on the year, Urías is 14-7 with a 2.92 ERA, 137 strikeouts in 139.2 innings pitched. The 26-year-old, of Culiacán, Mexico is 34-10 in the last two seasons.
Regardless of their abundance of injuries, Los Angeles has dominated baseball. With thirty two games to go, the Dodgers have built up a 19.5-game lead in the NL West, and most likely locked up the number one seed throughout the National League postseason format. To end on the dominance talk, LA has a .703 winning percentage this season… the next best is the Houston Astros (.636).
In all reality, LA stands as the National League juggernaut going into October baseball.
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Robert Rizzo writes for Latino Sports
Follow on Twitter: @RobertRiz994
Email: RobertRiz994@gmail.com
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