Not long after receiving favorable marks in the PECOTA projections, the Los Angeles Dodgers were rated well by FanGraphs in their annual postseason odds.
They believe the Dodgers have a 97.6% chance of reaching the postseason and a 19.6% chance of winning the 2020 World Series; both of which are FanGraphs’ highest projections.
As far as World Series odds go, coming in behind the Dodgers are the Houston Astros (18.9%), New York Yankees (15.0%) and Minnesota Twins (6.8%). The next highest team in the National League behind the Dodgers is the reigning World Series champion Washington Nationals at 4.6%.
The Dodgers are coming off a season in which they won a franchise-record 106 games before being defeated by the Nationals in the NL Division Series. They had an extremely successful offseason after adding Mookie Betts, David Price, Blake Treinen, Alex Wood, Jimmy Nelson and Brusdar Graterol to an already talented club.
Despite all of those additions, FanGraphs has the Dodgers’ regular-season win total going down to 97.3, which is the second-best mark in baseball behind the Astros (97.6). It would still mean that L.A. cruises to its eighth straight NL West division title.
The San Diego Padres are projected to finish in second (83.6) and the Arizona Diamondbacks in third (79.1).
While the Dodgers’ offseason acquisitions should play a big role in their 2020 success, they are also returning most of their key players from a season ago, including the reigning NL MVP, Cody Bellinger. He is now joined by another MVP in the outfield in Betts, to form perhaps the best two-way, one-two punch in all of baseball.
In addition to veterans like Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Max Muncy, Joc Pederson, Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler, the Dodgers will also be looking for some young players like Will Smith, Gavin Lux, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin to make key contributions this season.
All four players burst onto the scene with successful finishes to the 2019 season, leaving the organization very optimistic about what is to come.
As has been the case for the last decade or so, the Dodgers have perhaps the most depth in all of baseball both in their pitching staff and position players. That should have them well-equipped to overcome whatever injuries they are faced with throughout the year, which is yet another reason FanGraphs is so high on this club.
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