The Los Angeles Dodgers clinch the NL West title with a decisive 8-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. They have won the division for the fourth consecutive year, winning their 12th in the last 13 years. Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered another dominating performance on the mound (6.0 IP, 4H, 0 Er, 7K, 2BB). Backed by an explosive offensive performance, the Dodgers took care of business en route to their division-clinching win.
The Dodgers laid on the offensive onslaught in the early innings, Freddie Freeman getting them started with a homer in the second inning. Andy Pages joined him with a homer of his own in the second, and Mookie Betts also drove in two with an RBI single.
By the time it was the fourth inning, the Dodgers had broken the game wide open, providing the pitching staff with more than enough run support to cruise to victory.
A Season of Resilience
The Dodgers clinch the NL West, but the road there wasn’t easy. In a season mired by injuries and inconsistencies at the plate, their depth was an important factor. Standout performances from young players such as Andy Pages and Dalton Rushing, combined with steady production from stars like Shohei Ohtani, kept the Dodgers on track all season.
They were in a tight race with the San Diego Padres, remaining a few games back within striking distance. The Dodgers relied on timely contributions from players while weathering various injuries to key contributors.
Postseason Pitching Concerns
Rotation Anchors Provide Confidence
The Dodgers enter the postseason with a starting rotation that has been a pillar of their regular-season success. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been dominant all season, consistently shutting down opposing lineups and becoming a reliable ace for the Dodgers. He finished the season with 201 strikeouts, posting a 2.49 ERA. Shohei Ohtani, in his return to pitching this year, has been nothing short of stellar. Pitching with power and precision, Ohtani and Yamamoto can pitch deep into games, providing the Dodgers with flexibility in setting up the bullpen.
The young pitchers have also provided high-leverage innings this year. Emmet Sheehan notably delivered a dominant performance against the San Francisco Giants, finishing with 7.0 IP, 1H, 0 ER, 0BB, 10K. Roki Sasaki has also recently made his return and came in as a reliever to throw a scoreless frame against the Diamondbacks.
The rotation is rounded out with Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow, who are healthy again and have been formidable on the mound this year.
Bullpen Woes Loom Large
Embed from Getty Images
While the Dodgers’ starting rotation inspires confidence heading into October, the bullpen remains a source of uncertainty. Recent struggles and inconsistencies all season are cause for concern. The Dodger bullpen ranks 21st in ERA (4.32), and key relievers have been inconsistent. Players who have been anchors in the bullpen in previous years are all on the IL list (Brusdar Graterol, Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech).
The Dodgers dropped large sums of money on relievers in the offseason to anchor their bullpen:
-
Free agent left-hander Tanner Scott: four years, $72 million
-
Returning right-hander Blake Treinen: two years, $22 million
- Free agent right-hander Kirby Yates: one year, $17 million
These three were among some of the best performers last season, but have all fallen short of expectations this year. Aside from Alex Vesia and Anthony Banda, the rest of the active bullpen are rookies with no experience pitching in the bright lights of October baseball.
With so much uncertainty in the pen, the Dodgers’ postseason strategy may rely on how long their starters can go into games. Dave Roberts may have to get creative, as he has in the last couple of games, calling on Kershaw and Sasaki to pitch meaningful relief innings.
The rotation serves as a strong foundation, but figuring out the bullpen may be the key to a deep and successful postseason run for the Dodgers.
More Los Angeles Dodgers Articles
More MLB Articles
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
- Category
-
Los Angeles Dodgers
