Aside from a three-run eighth inning on Sunday, aided significantly by the Tigers’ mistakes, the Dodgers’ offense has mostly been dormant over the past week.
Don’t let the 6-1 score from their series finale in Detroit fool you.
Shohei Ohtani looks a bit off right now, which really puts a dent in the Dodgers’ ability to score runs consistently.
Yet, while a 2-4 road trip clearly showed some reasons why the Dodgers may not clinch the World Series again, it also provided hints as to why they just might.
They have the best starting pitching in baseball. Seriously. No competition.
Over the five games they pitched against the Tigers and Braves, the Dodgers’ four main postseason starters combined for a 2.14 ERA.
If you disregard Tyler Glasnow’s first-inning struggles in Atlanta — his initial major league inning in nearly four months, mind you — the ERA plummets to 1.27.
Pitching like that come October will lead to victories.
Sure, there are going to be games like the one against the Braves where Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed a run over 6 ⅓ innings but got outshined by Chris Sale, who delivered a shutout. But that’s just how it goes.
No team has ever emerged unbeaten in the playoffs since the wild-card era began, and the Dodgers won’t be the exception, no matter how much they invest in player talent.
The real distinction between the Dodgers and their rivals is what follows.
The day after Yamamoto pitched, Tarik Skubal took the mound against Detroit, followed by Blake Snell, and then Glasnow. That kind of depth in pitching is unmatched.
With pitching this strong, a team doesn’t need to rack up runs excessively. They just have to hit when it counts before the opposing team does.
Just like the Dodgers did on Sunday.
While Glasnow dominated the Tigers, Teoscar Hernández stepped up, breaking a 1-1 tie with a two-run homer in the sixth inning.
That’s the approach that led them to win the World Series last year, where solid pitching kept the scores low, allowing their hitters to rise to the occasion.
The Dodgers’ offense does need to improve from what it currently is, though not to an unrealistic extent.
The chance for a three-peat is still very much alive, especially with Glasnow steadily returning after his lengthy absence due to back issues.
When they set out on the road last week, the team had a clearer idea of what to anticipate in October from Yamamoto, Snell, and Skubal.
Glasnow’s two starts were particularly encouraging, especially considering Ohtani was unable to pitch as planned on Sunday and is now likely not ready to start fully come October.
After a shaky start this past Monday, Glasnow settled down nicely, only giving up two hits to the Braves over four innings.
On Sunday against the Tigers, he was even more impressive.
He was perfect for three innings and finished with seven strikeouts over seven innings. Although he felt his fastball could be more consistent, manager Dave Roberts was quite pleased, calling it “great,” particularly on the glove side.
“You have to respect the velocity,” Roberts indicated. “Then there’s the curveball and slider.”
At 6-foot-8, Glasnow embodies what you expect from a No. 1 starter. For these Dodgers, he’s fighting for that position, possibly settling in as a No. 4 or even a No. 5, depending on Ohtani’s situation.
The discussions around Glasnow have mostly revolved around his talent, but more recently, about his physical and mental resilience.
While his back issues this season suggest he could still be a physical concern, his pitching hints that he’s mentally stronger than when the Dodgers traded for him back before the 2024 season.
The plan was for Ohtani to pitch an inning on Sunday as an opener, followed by Glasnow. However, when the game plan shifted, Glasnow took it in stride.
The Tigers only managed to score once against Glasnow in the fourth, when they had their two hits, but he rebounded by retiring the last ten batters he faced.
This August has seen the Dodgers struggle, reflected in their losing record. Their offense has left a lot to be desired. Yet they’re still in a much better position for another championship than their recent play implies. In October, they’ll have the firepower and rotation to compete in every game and series.
