The sky is the restrict, an overused phrase in sports activities, however that doesn't imply it may well't apply to the present situation of the Dodgers' offense. Becoming a member of a bunch that scored greater than 900 runs final season — the primary Los Angeles Dodgers workforce to take action — is arguably essentially the most highly effective pressure in baseball, Shohei Ohtani.
Up to now, there have been different groups with an enormous assortment of MVPs of their lineup, such because the 1982 California Angels (Reggie Jackson, Fred Lynn, Rod Carew, Don Baylor), 1996 Purple Sox (Mo Vaughn, Jose Canseco, Kevin Mitchell). ), and others. Nevertheless it has hardly ever been mixed at the least a trio of former MVPs just like the Dodgers 2024. Normally, at the least a kind of award-winning gamers had handed their prime, however that’s not the case in Chavez Ravine this season.
Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Ohtani are all as formidable as ever and able to lead an offense that might legitimately break data.
Ohtani turned a $700 million man due to his two-way potential, however don't let that skew your view of a hitter who had a ridiculous common exit velocity of 94.4 mph in 2023, within the 99th percentile in MLB . The standards for a tough ball is successful with an exit velocity of at the least 95 mph.
Apparently, as dominant because the Dodgers offense is in 2023, it’s nowhere close to one of the best in baseball because the Braves have scored 947 runs with 307 homers. Waiting for 2024, that exact Braves workforce and even the one in 2024 (which returns just about the identical group) will present a base goal for this Dodgers assault.
PECOTA's projections have the Dodgers scoring 5.41 runs per recreation this season, tops in MLB. At FanGraphs, the Dodgers are projected to attain 5.20 runs per recreation, second solely to the Braves.
Whereas final yr's Atlanta lineup might need had extra depth, the Dodgers possess an X-factor revolving round their large three.
Positive, you’ll be able to level to Austin Riley as a formidable third piece, however he wasn't even the third finest hitter for Atlanta in 2023, that distinction belongs to Marcell Ozuna (138 OPS+). The Dodgers trio has three authentic MVP candidates.
Listed below are some MLB offensive ranks for every of them in 2023:
- Ohtani: 1.066 OPS (1st), 184 wRC+ (1st), .412 OBP (2nd), .654 slugging (1st)
- Betts: .987 OPS (fifth), 167 (4th), .408 OBP (sixth), .579 slugging (fifth)
- Freeman: .976 OPS (sixth), 163 wRC+ (sixth), .410 OBP (fifth), .567 slugging (sixth)
2024 Steamer projections
| Participant | BA/OBP/SLG | wRC+ | 2B | HR | SB | BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant | BA/OBP/SLG | wRC+ | 2B | HR | SB | BB |
| Shohei Ohtani | .273/.377/.549 | 145 | 28 | 39 | 20 | 92 |
| Mookie Betts | .279/.373/.513 | 143 | 36 | 26 | 13 | 82 |
| Freddie Freeman | .302/.389/.508 | 141 | 38 | 33 | 15 | 76 |
Supply: FanGraphs
All three gamers have been fiercely dominant. Betts drove in additional runs than any main hitter within the historical past of the game (107), Freeman hit extra doubles than anybody else within the twenty first century (59), and Ohtani had a .350 ISO that the majority good batsmen can't even dream. to the touch
The 2023 Dodgers obtained superb manufacturing from the designated hitter spot final season, with JD Martínez having a resurgent marketing campaign, so it's not as if there was a black gap within the spot. Now, Shohei Ohtani is the kind of expertise that whoever replaces him in a lineup, a large enchancment will probably be offered.
You could possibly see an excellent larger increase from the signing of Teoscar Hernández. Hernández struggled in his lone season with the Mariners, but when he can return to the numbers he put up with the Blue Jays, the place he had an .852 OPS from 2019 to 2021, he may feasibly fill the void left by Martinez.
That in flip may imply Ohtani and his all-around potential basically replaces David Peralta, who was the correct facet of his platoon in left discipline however didn't produce very properly on the plate in 2023.
As dominant as the highest three could be, one other precious offense of this Dodgers offense is that, if wholesome, it’ll run 9 above-average hitters within the lineup, with Gavin Lux returning after having missed a yr, Jason Heyward is again. a one-year deal, and James Outman constructing on his robust rookie season.
Having a probably hole-free lineup would do wonders for the Dodgers, however it’ll all be pushed by the large three up high in Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.
