Dodgers: A Playoff Preview - Asian Baseballers

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Thursday, October 3, 2024

Dodgers: A Playoff Preview

 

 

Picture of Dodger Stadium

 



 

Undoubtedly, even as a DH this year, Shohei Ohtani is the uncontested Most Valuable Player because of his historic run with his 50/50 season, which had never been achieved before in MLB history and never in the NPB and KBO as well. He stands alone as the only player to have done so.

 

Shohei Ohtani is a Los Angeles Dodgers player. For his team to win it all the way, they need 11 wins. It should be easy. Right? Not so fast. The Dodgers are without Tyler Glasnow and Gavin Stone, two great starting pitchers who would have made their starting rotation 100% solid for the playoffs. The Dodgers' top two starters, Flaherty and Yamamoto, are the unquestioned strengths of the rotation, but Landon Knack is a rookie suddenly allowed to shine on the big stage. He will be tested by the hitters, who will take it up a notch. For a rookie to pitch in the playoffs is remarkable. He has earned that final spot in the rotation, but Gavin Stone and Tyler Glasnow are probably what most coaches are going to pick compared to Knack. That is not to take away from Knack at all, but most are not going to pick a rookie anyway.

 

Walker Buehler finished the 2024 regular season with a great start, throwing against the San Diego Padres to clinch the NL West Title. He went 5 innings and allowed 5 hits, 1 run, and 1 K. How healthy is he? He missed two months with a right hip injury this season after missing all of last season. He never really got into a rhythm.



 

Buehler is great when healthy. There is no question about that. There is no other pitcher I imagine could be picked other than him as the 3rd starter in the rotation. His last start was good news. If anyone can bounce back from all the challenges, Buehler is a veteran of the sport who needs not be questioned. The healthy Walker Buehler of old needs to emerge. And, as a veteran of the World Series, he has shown to shine on the biggest stage in baseball. In 15 appearances in the postseason, Buehler is the most experienced pitcher for the Dodgers. He has been there, done that. The question is just how healthy he is. He is going to need to become a mentor for Knack, the least experienced of the bunch.

 

Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas

 

There is no question that Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas have been crucial to the success of the Dodgers. Miguel Rojas was sidelined with an abductor strain and Freddie Freeman with an ankle injury. X-rays revealed negative results on Freeman, but for Miguel Rojas, it was revealed there were tears in his left abductor muscles, which need to be repaired during the off-season. In the words of Dave Roberts, the manager of the team, it seems he is not worried whether they are going to be able to play or not. It seems he is waiting for them to be able to play. Both Freeman and Rojas are working really hard to get ready for the postseason.

 

Rojas' diagnosis might affect how he is used though because shortstop is a high-intensity stressful position. It could be very challenging to play with maximum effort. There is an option to use Tommy Edman, who is a good option as well. Rojas will be in the lineup; however, how he is used might just be a coach's last-minute decision.

 

Gavin Lux, Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernandez, Chris Taylor

 

As hitters in the bottom half of the lineup, Lux and Edman need to do well to not give any breathing room to opposing pitchers. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman—the 3 MVPs are going to be tough to deal with in consecutive orders. Then, they have to deal with Teoscar Hernandez, who's been incredible for the Dodgers. Ever since joining the Dodgers, he has revitalized his career by being crucial to the success of the Dodgers when Shohei, Mookie, and Freddie struggled in a brief amount of time, batting .272, with 160 hits, 84 runs, and 99 RBIs. To put it in perspective, Teoscar Hernandez is going to be a pain to deal with behind Freddie Freeman if Freeman is indeed available to start the NLDS.

 

Chris Taylor, in his last 10 games, is batting. 409 with a homer, 9 hits, 6 RBIs, and 5 runs scored. It there ever was a right time to get hot, it would be now, especially when the stakes are much higher.

 

Max Muncy and Kiké Hernandez

 

If somehow Freddie Freeman is not able to start in the NLDS, Max Muncy would be the only other option, and he has proven to be efficient in the role when needed. Muncy can hit it out of the park with a tape-measure distance. When he is hot, he's lights out.

 

Don't let the statistics fool you. Although Kiké is batting .229, he is batting .400 in his last 10 games. He is red hot. He is also the most proven player in the playoffs, batting .274 on 179 AB, hitting 13 homers, 29 RBIs, and 49 hits with an OPS, a measure of a player's ability to get on base and hit for power, of .893. That kind of performance is clutch. The Dodgers are going to need his experience during any challenges that may come. This man knows how to perform on the highest of stages. To put it in perspective, the MLB average is .750. To have an OPS of .800, you are considered to be one of the elite players in the league. To have an OPS in the playoffs of  .893 is staggering. If he puts up those kinds of numbers, the Dodgers are going to be tough to beat.

 

 

 

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