On August 25, 2012, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, and Nick Punto from the Boston Red Sox. The trade, which sent Ivan De Jesus Jr., Rubby De La Rosa, James Loney, Allen Webster, and Jerry Sands to Boston, immediately added over $250 million to the Dodgers’ salary, making it the most expensive trade in baseball history in terms of dollars and cents.
That 2012 team would finish second in National League West, narrowly missing the postseason. But what is significant about that blockbuster trade is that it ushered in an era of aggressive team building in Los Angeles, and the team hasn’t missed the playoffs since. The Dodgers have won the National League West 9 out of 10 seasons and reached the World Series three times since 2017.
Can the Dodgers Win 110+ Games?
The Dodgers are 15-8 in September and head into the last 10 games with 105 wins and 47 losses. The team record for most wins is 106, set in 2019 and matched last season in 2021. In the shortened 2020 season, they played to a 116-win pace, which would have tied the major league record for wins in a season (the Seattle Mariners won 116 games in 2001).
Currently, the Dodgers are on 112 win pace, which would be a National League record since the season was expanded to 162 games in 1961. The 1906 Chicago Cubs, 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates, 1975 Cincinnati Reds, and 1986 New York Mets are the only teams in National League history to win more than 108 games in a season. They will need to win 5 of their next 10 games to get to 110 wins.
Heavy World Series Favorites
The Dodgers have been the uncontested favorites to win the World Series since mid-July when the New York Yankees began to cool. Current MLB Live Betting Odds have the Dodgers at +300 to win the Championship. The Houston Astros, who lead the American League, are +400, followed by the New York Yankees at +500, the New York Mets at +500, the Atlanta Braves at +750, and Toronto Blue Jays at +1800.
The Dodgers were the pre-season favorite and closed as overall favorites in the last four seasons.
Dodgers News and Notes
- Clayton Kershaw improved his record to 10-3 yesterday, striking out seven in six innings while allowing two runs on six hits. Kershaw is now 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his five starts since coming off the disabled list.
- Miguel Vargas started at first base after major league batting leader Freddie Freeman was scratched from the lineup due to illness. Vargas hit a 93.5 mph fastball from Jordan Montgomery into the center-field bleachers for his first major league home run.
- On Friday, Albert Pujols’ 700th home run against Phil Bickford was his 22nd vs. Los Angeles in 112 games. He has 62 vs. the Houston Astros in 300 games and 59 against the Chicago Cubs in 199 games.
- According to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts still backs his World Series guarantee despite pitching issues. Los Angeles will be without Walker Buehler, who was lost for the season to Tommy John surgery, and probably won’t have Blake Treinen.
- Dustin May has been added to the injury list due to lower back tightness. May has a 4.50 ERA in six starts after Tommy John surgery.
- Tony Gonsolin is scheduled to pitch two innings at Oklahoma City on Tuesday. he’s expected to be activated sometime next week.
- Ex-Dodger manager Don Mattingly won’t be back with the Miami Marlins. Mattingly, who managed the Marlins for seven seasons, stated on Sunday that he would not be returning and is looking forward to spending more time with his family.
- The Dodgers close out the season with a three-game series against the San Diego Padres beginning Monday and then six games against the Colorado Rockies.
