What Happened In 2024?
Arms aloft, raised to the heavens as the gladiator welcomes and embraces the cheers from the crowd as his fallen adversary lies in the sands of the colosseum, Walker Buehler’s curveball evaded Alex Verdugo’s bat and ensured the Dodgers’ their 8th World Series. Los Angeles and Dodger fans around the world cheered as Dave Roberts’ team delivered on their promise and gave the city a parade.
2024 was a year to remember for the Dodgers, with Shohei Ohtani’s 50-50 season sealed with “the greatest day in baseball history”, a superb postseason run, a classic World Series between the two biggest teams in baseball, and Dave Roberts throwing it back dancing with Ice Cube at the parade. As Buehler delivered the final out, finishing a fantastic year we could answer his gladiatorial gesture; we were certainly entertained.
Offseason Review
How to make a winning team better? General managers have toiled with this problem since the conception of competition. However, it seems the Dodgers haven’t had this concern. Signing two of the top five starting pitchers available in two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell, and (another) Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, two of the top five bullpen arms on the market in Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, re-signing Teoscar Hernández and Kiké Hernández, and adding Michael Conforto for outfield support have only raised expectations for the Dodgers.
Jack Flaherty earned his ring with his hometown team, and re-signed with Detroit, and Walker Buehler departed for Boston with an aim to terrorize the Yankees for the next two years. Draftee Gavin Lux was also traded to Cincinnati. Is it good for baseball? Are the Dodgers ruining the sport? While the long term impacts are yet to be seen, what’s true is that there’s never been more pressure on a team to immediately find repeat success.
One to Watch
It’s pretty easy to suggest that Roki Sasaki – who had a 2.02 ERA during his 414.2 innings in Nippon Pro Baseball – should be the one to watch on the Dodgers.
However, I offer Dustin May as one of the most intriguing stories going into the season. Can someone with a career 3.10 ERA be overlooked in a pitching staff? May is going to have to fight for his rotation slot in the six-man fight which, at one point, will include Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin all fighting for those spots. Can he recover his form post numerous serious injuries to arm, elbow and oesophagus to find a place in the rotation, or could his value to the team be found in a trade to explore options to bolster second base, one of the final spots up for grabs in the team? Everyone knows he can do it, but will he stay healthy, and will it be in Dodger blue?
Reasons to watch
Dodger fans, I don’t think it’s recency bias or hyperbole to suggest that this is one of the best rosters ever constructed.
I recommend we love this time, and understand and bask in how lucky we are. Other fan bases are having their team’s relocated, or having stadiums destroyed by wind and having to play in minor league ballparks. Truly understand how fortunate we are to watch this baseball team, check in every day, and love the ride with this team.
If you aren’t a fan, you get two options;
- Check in on this team, watch stardom and excellence find the sport every night and enjoy your time respecting some all-time greats and future hall of famer players while still in their prime, OR
- Believe that the Dodgers have ruined this perfect sport, and everything happening to the game is their fault and spend the next season relishing in every single loss, every single blowup performance, every single error and fire off the tweets asking the inevitable question: “They paid how much for this guy?!?!?!?!”
2025 Prediction
I am a true believer of the hangover effect. Building both physically and emotionally to one lofty goal is hard work, and, sometimes, you can climb to the top of the mountain and realise there is no higher peak to climb.
There has been no repeat winner in 24 years. Yes, I agree the Dodgers should make it to the World Series in 2025, and should win it again, but MLB is a marathon, bodies are fickle and fate can be cruel. Juan Soto is back in the National League, the Braves should be stronger and healthier, the Phillies are still as hot and angry as ever, and the West has tightened with the Giants and Diamondbacks making strong moves. Nothing is guaranteed and any success that this team finds should still be applauded and celebrated. Victory is hard. Sustained success is harder.
The hunt for dynasty status is on, and I believe the Dodgers have the tools at hand for the job, but will they be dealt the correct hand from the baseball gods?
We’ll just have to sit back and buckle up for the long physical ride.
Freddie Law-Keen is the Dodgers contributor for Bat Flips and Nerds. Follow him on Twitter @FLK_Sports.
Featured image – Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
