The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently in the midst of their attempt to win two championships in a row after beating the New York Yankees in the 2024 World Series. The Dodgers are leading the NL West and are poised to make another deep run in the playoffs come October. The defending champions are not only able to win the World Series this year, but they can also win three in a row next season. Here is why the Dodgers can easily become the first team to three-peat since the Yankees during the late 90s.
The top of the Dodgers’ lineup is stacked with accolades from previous seasons. MVPs and championships adorn the walls of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman. The veteran trio is the core of the Dodgers’ hitting prowess; the team is at its most dangerous when these three players get hot in the batter’s box. Whenever the Dodgers are struggling to score runs, they can count on their 1-2-3 hitters to get the groove going for the rest of the lineup. The trio still has time to cause some chaos in the league for years to come. Ohtani is reaching his prime playing age; he is 30 years old, while Betts and Freeman are 32 and 35 years old, respectively.
Shohei Ohtani has been given many titles by the media: unicorn, generational talent, and the Japanese Babe Ruth. He has captivated baseball fans around the globe with his signature two-way style of playing the game. Ohtani’s ability to strike out 10+ batters and hit home runs has given the Dodgers the ability to have two roster spots filled for the price of one. As of early June, the Japanese superstar has not thrown a single pitch for the Dodgers, yet he has already won a World Series and NL MVP.
The Dodgers hope that Ohtani can get back to pitching this season. Ohtani has been seen throwing live batting practice in recent weeks, which is reassuring for fans clamoring for the two-way phenom to return on the mound. If Ohtani gets back to pitching a 3.00 ERA or lower, he will provide tremendous help to the Dodgers’ rotation, which is experiencing an injury bug with 13 pitchers on the IL. The support of another elite pitcher on the staff will be even more noticeable next season with an offseason of rest and recovery for Ohtani. Ohtani’s first full season pitching next year could be the key to a three-peat for the franchise.
The Dodgers have always been one of the leading teams when it comes to developing players in the farm system. They have scouted prospects around the world, with some of their biggest names coming from foreign countries like the Mexican legend Fernando Valenzuela. Within the current iteration of the franchise, the team has started looking towards Asian countries to get young players ready to develop into household names.
Ever since acquiring Ohtani in 2023, the Dodgers have begun focusing on obtaining players who would want to play with the baseball hero of Japan. First came Yoshinobu Yamamoto, then Roki Sasaki followed in his footsteps the next season, and Hyeseong Kim as well. The Asian market is becoming a focal point of the Dodgers’ strategy of winning by capturing the hearts of future players with big names coming from Japan and Korea.
The chance that the Dodgers can become the team of Asia is one that they are banking on by catering to Asian fans at home. The team has been playing games in Korea and Japan over the last two seasons to sell itself to these foreign audiences.
The Dodgers’ chances of winning three in a row and more in the future rely on being the heavy favorites every time to land incoming superstar Asian players.
The Ohtani era for Los Angeles is set up to become one of those special teams that become the basis of legends. They can attempt to be among the greats, such as the Evil Empire Yankees of the ’90s and the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds of the ’70s. The Dodgers’ quest for three begins now, with this season looking like a clinch for back-to-back championships.
All the Dodgers have to do is continue being the model team in the league, and trophies will follow.
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