It seems the Los Angeles Dodgers isn’t, in any way, close to reliving the memories of failed postseasons again. With all odds favoring the team, it might be on its way to win the World Series trophy again. The Dodgers are one of the most popular and successful MLB teams, having won seven World Series championships. Not only that but it also has a record of 24 National League pennants, and has featured 11 NL MVP award winners. Additionally, the club has seen eight Cy Young Award winners pitch for it.
During the 2020 season, the Dodgers won three games consecutively to take the National League Championship Series (NLCS), and was the best team in baseball for 7 cumulative years. However, despite its successes, the team has had its fair share of losses in the past though it didn’t blink through them. Notable among such losses was the 2017 World Series where the team lost to the Astros. Also in 2018, the team lost to the Boston Red Sox. It, however, returned in 2019 with high hopes.
The team sought a way to rid itself of the increasing stigma it has amassed over its failure to clinch the World Series win even after winning its division eight years in a row. Interestingly, it got a breakout MVP season from Cody Bellinger in the 2020 season. Bellinger was aware that the match would be a deciding factor in a possible though ‘unlikely’ comeback for the team. After a series of dramatic plays, the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves in a 4-3 win, in Game 7 of the NLCS.
The reality of facing the Tampa Bay Rays then dawned on the team. It was to face the American team with the best record in the World Series. The team defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games, thus winning the World Series again in 2020. However, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the shortening of the season to 60 games. You may have to read more on MLB picks as it would guide you on wagering good bets.
Will the Dodgers win the MLB again?
Andrew Friedman built the roster that won the first World Series title for his franchise after a 32-year drought. His new job revolves around winning another MLB for the second time in a row. There hasn’t been a repeated champion in the Major League Baseball since the New York Yankees’ winning of a third straight title in 2000. Other leagues have had a minimum of one repeat champion within the last two decades.
In the history of MLB, at least 14 clubs have won the World Series championship consecutively – for instance, Chicago Cubs won in 1907 and 1908. However, after Mariano Rivera closed out the New York Mets, there has since been a dearth of such consecutive wins. The reasons have been attributed to injuries, unlucky bounces, and bad calls.
For instance, under the management of Bruce Bochy, the San Francisco Giants established itself as a repeat champion whose championship feats span across four years – 2010 to 2014. The Giants won 92 season games in 2010 with Buster Poster winning the award of the National League rookie of the year. Unexpectedly, he broke sustained a leg injury in the following season in May and couldn’t feature in the remaining matches of the season. Though the team was able to sustain itself in the playoff race, it eventually missed the postseason after going 86-76.
Apart from this, remember that only 60 season games were played in the 2020 season and the Dodgers did well across them. To this end, it might not be fair to compare the feats of squadrons with regular-season dominance – Yankees, Reds, Athletics, among others – with those whose season was interrupted, albeit by a pandemic. Nevertheless, it doesn’t overrule the fact that the Dodgers were better placed, especially since the inception of the 2019 season, having gone 149-73. If 2020 had taken its usual regular-season shape, the team might have won at least 110 games.
Key Takeaway
Beyond the 60 games played during the 2020 season instead of the usual 162, it might be difficult to ascertain if the Dodgers is heading towards winning the MLB. However, if the team is able to sustain its level of determination, it might work its way up to the ladder of victory. One major factor that could serve as a hindrance is complacency. One of its unique features is its unpredictable nature. One of the steps towards the right direction, especially as it concerns its prevention, could be a change of roster. It is often difficult – if not completely impossible – to maintain the same focus or drive over a long period.
The Dodgers undoubtedly boast of enough talents – three former Cy Young Award winners, three former MVPs, two rookies of the year, among others. Not less than nine Dodgers are featured on the top 50 list of the league’s television network. These indices have formed the basis of different predictions of the team as the next winner of the World Series.
The circumstances surrounding the victory of the Dodgers during the shortened 2020 season – limited fans and the lack of true cheerings – would have their way of impacting the championship of this year’s season. The team duplicated the 2020 team roster, though with the addition of the NL Cy Young winner, Trevor Bauer. If the team is to become the champion, it might have to consider some high-level youngsters, some of whom include Kershaw, Price, Dustin May, Walker Buehler, and Julio Urias.
At the same time, the team made a huge splash by handing Betts the monster extension. This gives them a comparative advantage over every team, especially as it concerns winning the World Series title. Besides, the team continues to enjoy large fan support since it attracted over 3 million fans for 15 consecutive seasons between 1996 and 2010. The love for the team isn’t waning down anytime soon.
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