Visits: 1
After a monumental 2020/21 season that culminated in the Dodgers winning their first World Series in 32 years, Los Angeles will be hoping to retain their crown atop the standings despite what has been a hectic 2021/22 campaign thus far.
The Dodgers collected their 2020/21 World Series Championship rings following on from their six-game series win over American League Champions, Tampa Bay Rays, after a shortened regular season with former All-Star Shortstop Corey Seager being named as World Series MVP.
Fellow All-Stars Max Muncy, Chris Taylor and superstar Mookie Betts all performed admirably throughout the 2020/21 season and have high aspirations to ensure that the Dodgers complete a successful defense of their World Series title, earning a ‘two-peat’ in the process.
Even with such a promising return to form for the Dodgers, there has still been a substantial number of talking points from the new season as Los Angeles have been involved in a number of headlines this season for better or for worse.
2021/22 season so far
After an impressive start to the new campaign, which saw the Dodgers begin the regular season with a 13-2 record from the franchise’s first 15 games, Los Angeles’ form dramatically dipped and saw the Dodgers slump to the third seed in the National League’s Western Division.
Injuries have continuously piled up throughout the season for a large number of the Dodgers roster which has seen the likes of two time All-Star, and All MLB team first baseman Cody Bellinger ruled out after suffering a fracture in his left tibia as well as pitcher Dustin May who is believed to be ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing his UCL.
Bellinger has made a return to Dodgers action in the past few weeks but looks almost a shadow of his former self with the 2019 National League MVP struggling to rekindle almost any form that he displayed during his historic 2019 season run.
The Dodgers will most likely have to keep Bellinger in the starting lineup due to AJ Pollock recovering from a hamstring injury with Los Angeles hoping that Cody can regain his mojo when fully healthy and at the end of what has been a dismal season for the 26-year-old.
The Dodgers hardly suffered any major setbacks on the injury front during the previous season meaning coach Dave Roberts has been forced to tap into the depth that his roster provides.
After a brief run of good form, another major blow has struck the Dodgers at Pitcher as former All-Star and 2020 All MLB first team star Trevor Bauer has been confirmed to miss the rest of the 2021 season and the resulting pre-season. Bauer has received an extensive administrative leave and his estimated return date currently remains unknown.
In spite of the constant injury worries, the Dodgers have still managed to claw their way back to a second placed seed in their division and in the National League with only their fierce division rivals, the San Francisco Giants, toppling them in the current standings.
Among some of the very best performers for the Dodgers this year is infielder Max Muncy who was named to his second All-Star appearance and lead the Dodgers in several major statistical categories including Home Runs and Runs Batted In which has helped put Muncy in the running in the National League MVP conversation.
The aforenoted Taylor and Betts have also been named to the MLB All-Star team with Taylor picking up his second All-Star selection and former American League MVP Betts making his fifth All-Star appearance.
Even with a number of injuries and a fluctuation of form in the earlier moments of the season, the Dodgers still find themselves in the front-running for a place in the World Series, the odds at the online sportsbooks reflect this, they’re the favorites to be champions with odds of +290.
While the Dodgers may not have been in a position where most of their fans would have predicted coming into this campaign, Dodgers’ supporters may feel relatively content with where the franchise is ranked in the standings after an injury ridden season and with the understandable higher expectations that the media have looked to place on the franchise’s shoulders given their recent success.
Los Angeles is one of the country’s biggest and most ambitious markets meaning the franchise will have the watchful eyes of the baseball demographics and analysts alike who will remain vigilant over the Dodgers’ every move, whether that be any minor/major injuries or potential future assets in free agency.
Even with such injuries, the Dodgers look to remain in close proximity to retain their control over the National League and make another trip to the World Series with the San Francisco Giants being their biggest adversaries in both the league and Western Division.
It further shows that even without some of the franchise’s most pivotal names, the team remains a major contender throughout the regular season and a side that has only aimed to go from strength to strength since Los Angeles Lakers legend and owner Magic Johnson’s takeover back in 2012.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login