The Los Angeles Dodgers have won the bidding for superstar SS/3B Manny Machado and added him to a star-studded lineup. An organization that has won five straight NL West titles and reached Game 7 of the World Series a year ago was already being measured by one standard—winning it all. Now the pressure has been […]
The Los Angeles Dodgers have dug themselves an early hole in the NL West race, with a record of 12-15 and sitting seven games back of the frontrunning Arizona Diamondbacks. It goes without saying that it’s too early to panic, but it’s not to early to feel some modest urgency. Particularly with Los Angeles visiting […]
There’s a curious dichotomy over how the Los Angeles Dodgers are perceived and how they’ve performed on the field. Public perception—as measured by betting odds—says they’re the best team in baseball, a 5-1 favorite to win the World Series. The results on the field say they’re narrowly trailing the San Francisco Giants in the NL West, and are one of four teams tied in the loss column for two wild-card spots. Which is reality?
It’s been a troubled year for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have joined their local brethren in the Angels and Lakers as overpriced disappointments. But the weakness of the NL West means hope for the Dodgers, whose 37-43 record coming into Sunday has them only 4 ½ games off the pace. The second half of the season at least resembles the chance for a new beginning. Is the worst now behind the Dodgers, and can they take advantage of this second chance?
The Los Angeles Dodgers were hit with another significant injury, when starting pitcher Zack Greinke broke his collarbone in the highly publicized brawl with San Diego’s Carlos Quentin earlier this week. Greinke will be out until at least the end of May and into June. He joins 3B/SS Hanley Ramirez on the disabled list. The Dodgers have picked up a lot of big names since the All-Star break of 2012, and Greinke and Ramirez are most definitely among them. In an NL West expected to be competitive and living up to that reputation in the first couple weeks, can the Dodgers keep going without them?
The American League playoff field is complete, as the Oakland A’s clinched the final wild-card spot and still have a shot at winning the AL West. The A’s beat the Rangers last night 4-3 in front of their home wins. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals moved to the brink of closing out the National League field, with a 4-2 win in Cincinnati. The Cards now lead the Los Angeles Dodgers by two games with two to play, as the MLB playoff picture comes into sharp focus.
The AL Central race is all but over after this weekend, and it’s because Detroit’s pitching come through, while Chicago’s big hitters did not. The Tigers won a series over the Twins, while the White Sox dropped three of four from the Rays. The end result is that Detroit is plus-3 games with the same number left.
Detroit got the usual stellar outing from Justin Verlander on Saturday, who pitched seven innings and allowed just an unearned run. Less expected was great work from Drew Smyly on Friday and Anibal Sanchez on Sunday. Though neither went deep into the game—they combined for 11.2 innings—both starters shut down the Minnesota bats, and though Friday’s opener ended up in Twins’ hands, the Tiger bullpen—with help from a big home run by Prince Fielder—delivered the Sunday victory that all but sealed this division title.
Every team in baseball has two series left as the MLB playoff race hits its final week. Let’s take a look at how the races shape up, who plays who and what we have to look forward to in these closing days…