Dodgers' Early Takeaways of 2024 MLB Season
The Los Angeles Dodgers moved into the No. 1 spot in Bleacher Report's most recent power rankings after sweeping the Atlanta Braves last weekend, and even with a long list of injuries to the pitching staff, they again look like a potential juggernaut.
The addition of Shohei Ohtani has given the Dodgers arguably the two best players in the sport to start the year with the reigning AL MVP now slotted alongside Mookie Betts in a loaded lineup.
Meanwhile, the farm system continues to churn out impact talent, and outfielder Andy Pages is the latest to burst onto the scene as an immediate contributor.
Ahead we've taken a closer look at those notable early takeaways from the 2024 season.
Shohei Ohtani vs. Mookie Betts for NL MVP
1 of 3
If the 2024 season ended today, it would almost certainly be two Dodgers players atop most NL MVP ballots.
Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts are the only two qualified NL hitters with a 1.000 OPS entering play on Wednesday, and both superstars are on pace for eye-popping numbers if they maintain their current pace.
Here's a look at their current numbers:
- Betts: 38 G, .349/.455/.564, 52 H, 18 XBH (6 HR), 27 RBI, 8 SB, WAR
- Ohtani: 37 G, .365/.435/.696, 54 H, 26 XBH (11 HR), 27 RBI, 9 SB, WAR
And here is their 162-game projection with those numbers extrapolated over a full season:
- Betts: 162 G, .349/.455/.564, 222 H, 80 XBH (26 HR), 115 RBI, 34 SB, 14.1 WAR
- Ohtani: 158 G, .365/.435/.696, 230 H, 111 XBH (47 HR), 115 RBI, 38 SB, 11.1 WAR
Those are some absurd numbers, especially the 14.1 WAR pace that Betts is on which would be tied for the 15th-highest single-season total in MLB history and the highest mark since New York Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden had a 13.3-WAR season in 1985.
Andy Pages Is the Latest Homegrown Star
2 of 3
For all that gets made of the money they spend in free agency, the Dodgers have also done a fantastic job cultivating their own homegrown talent over the years, with guys like Clayton Kershaw, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Kenley Jansen, Walker Buehler, Will Smith, Joc Pederson and several others all coming through the minor league pipeline.
Andy Pages is making a strong case to be added to that impressive list of names.
The 23-year-old began the year as the No. 3 prospect in the Dodgers system and the No. 83 prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America, thanks to a strong track record of production in the minors that included a 31-homer season at High-A in 2021.
An injury to Jason Heyward created an opportunity in right field, and he has made the most of it by hitting .307/.329/.533 for a 142 OPS+ with five doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI in 82 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on April 16.
With top-tier batted-ball metrics, he looks like the real deal.
The Pitching Staff Remains in Flux
3 of 3
Through the first 38 games of the season the Dodgers have already used 10 different starting pitchers.
The injured list currently features Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Kyle Hurt and Emmet Sheehan, while the current rotation is made up of Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, James Paxton, Gavin Stone and the recently healthy Walker Buehler in his return from Tommy John surgery.
Swingman Ryan Yarbrough has not started a game, but he ranks fifth on the team with 30 innings pitched in 10 appearances as he has served as a useful bulk reliever out of the bullpen.
The point here is that despite their 25-13 record and first place status in the NL West, the Dodgers are still very much sorting out what the pitching staff is going to look like for the rest of the year, and that's a scary thought for the rest of the league once the pieces fall into place.
.png?w=256)
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
