The Dodgers have been the one main league workforce based mostly in California to achieve the postseason in 2023. With latest offseason additions to tune the rotation and offense, the Dodgers' championship expectations in comparison with the remainder of the state they’re second to none.
The San Diego Padres traded celebrity outfielder Juan Soto in a blockbuster commerce with the Yankees and lately noticed their star nearer signal the Houston Astros. The Los Angeles Angels, after failing to achieve the postseason for the ninth consecutive season, noticed their two-time division MVP in Los Angeles. The San Francisco Giants introduced in former Padres supervisor Bob Melvin and signed Korean outfielder Jung-hoo Lee, however they blew the prospect to signal each Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. As for the Oakland Athletics, ending the season with a .500 file could be an ethical victory for the fanbase.
Invoice Shaikin of the Los Angeles Occasions discusses how the Dodgers established themselves not solely as the most effective workforce in California, but in addition as probably the most marketable workforce within the state:
“In 2014, 4 of the 5 groups in our state made the playoffs. In 2024, the Dodgers may very well be the one one. The Dodgers used to have a good time an annual occasion known as Hollywood Stars Night time, the place the celebs of TV and cinema play a couple of innings of softball. In 2024, each evening will likely be Hollywood Stars Night time, with the constellation of the house workforce together with Yamamoto, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Max Muncy, Teoscar Hernández, Tyler Glasnow , Walker Buehler, perhaps Clayton Kershaw … and Ohtani, the star of stars … In Ohtani, the Dodgers have a strolling, speaking, slugging gross sales pitch for 2024.
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Chris Taylor appeared on SportsNet LA to debate how he’s getting ready for the upcoming season, in addition to present an replace on his bodily well being in relation to the accidents he suffered in 2023.
“I really feel actually good. We misplaced fairly early this 12 months, so I used to be capable of get within the weight room immediately. I took care of some nagging accidents in my knee… I really feel wholesome and near 100 for hundred as I’ve been at one time.”
James Outman grew to become the primary Dodgers rookie to hit at the very least 20 residence runs and steal at the very least 15 bases in his first full season in 2023, and he actually has the potential to grow to be a 20-20 risk like teammate Freddie Freeman .
David Adler of MLB.com listed ten gamers who must be extra aggressive on the bottom paths, together with Outman as a chief candidate to achieve the 20-20 mark.
Outman, the 26-year-old heart fielder from Los Angeles, has superb velocity (28.9 ft/sec dash velocity, seven bolts), confirmed good base-stealing acumen as a rookie (16 steals, simply three catches) and is an effective sufficient hitter (112 OPS+) that he must be on base with the chance to run… With a bit extra working, he's within the 20-20 membership.”