DODGERS CLINCH 8th NL WEST TITLE

Dodgers Power Hour Reaching Epic Proportions

Los Angeles leads the majors with 107 home runs through 56 games. Five players have more than 10 home runs. Leading the way is Mookie Betts with 16 home runs, Corey Seager has 14, AJ Pollock has 13, and Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy have 12.

The Dodgers are 2nd to the Atlanta Braves in Runs Batted in with 309. Dig a little deeper into some of the more important metrics and they are 2nd with a team OPS of .814 to the Braves .838.

Anyone will also tell you that pitching and defense coupled with timely hitting and not straight raw power win in the playoffs.

Dodgers Pitching Also A Strong Suit

With the top league ERA at 3.04 and the 40 wins to go with it, Los Angeles is second in the majors in starters’ ERA and second in the majors in bullpen ERA. They also have the best OBA at .211 and WHIP of 1.05 in the league as well. OBP is a great metric because it is a measure of how often the batters that a pitcher has faced reach base.

The top OBA in the league then is a telling stat for potential playoff opponents of the Dodgers as this will be a factor for the team’s success in the post season.

The starting rotation has Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Julio Urias and Walker Buehler.

Kershaw continues to lead the way for the Dodgers starting rotation. He started the season on the IL with back issues but has turned into the ace once again with a 2.15 ERA and 0.76 WHIP with 59 strikeouts.

Buehler has had blister issues but threw four innings against the Oakland Athletics in a recent Dodgers’ 5-1 win. He allowed one hit and striking out six while surrendering one walk.

He has a 3.86 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 36 strikeouts in seven starts this year, and a lifetime 2.72 ERA in the postseason.

Kershaw and Buehler will throw for the first two Dodgers playoff games which would be against the Milwaukee Brewers based on today’s standings.

Dodgers Last World Series Title Was 1988

The Dodgers despite all their success have not won a World Series since 1988. Their 2017 and 2018 losses in the World Series to the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox were serious blows to a team that was so close.

They could not find a way to beat the Washington Nationals last year in the postseason either as the Nationals went on to win the World Series.

They face off against the Los Angeles Angels for their final three games of the season.

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