SPORTS TALK: Ohtani and the Dodgers should be World Champs
By Greg Buchanan
Major League Baseball's 2024 postseason is just around the corner, and it was right to the end to clinch postseason spots for most of the playoff-bound clubs.
Keep in mind that Atlanta clinched in Game 142 last year, the Dodgers did so in Game 140 in 2022, and the Giants sealed the deal a little later in Game 144 the year before that. But in a testament to the lack of any dominant team this season, here we are at Game 150 with no one quite assured of a bid yet.
For the most part, though, the postseason picture hasn't really changed in the past month.
The AL East race was a good one, and the NL wild-card picture was a photo finish.
So, who will be the teams to watch? In the American League East, the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles battled for the AL's No. 1 seed and the AL East crown. After spending much of the season comfortably ahead in the AL Central, the Cleveland Guardians had to battle to outlast the Royals and Twins for the division crown, while the Astros attempt to separate themselves from the Mariners in a two-team AL West race.
In the National League, five teams have separated themselves atop the standings. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets battled for the final playoff spot. The Phillies and Brewers cruised to division titles. The L.A. Dodgers have opened up a lead in the NL West race, with the D-backs and Padres both joining L.A. in the postseason field.
As for what Bucky's crystal ball is thinking, I will make it clear - one team and one team only I'm picking. I love L.A.
The Dodgers had one of the best records in baseball due in large part to their unreal lineup. The good news is that many stars, especially in their pitching staff who have been on the injury list, will come back for the postseason. Michael Kopech magically improved once acquired and is now the closer, while Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are all back. The worst performing members of the rotation are Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller, who could revert to frontline form at any point.
The Dodgers' pitching might have flaws, but their midseason acquisitions of Jack Flaherty and Kopech have been pivotal. With Max Muncy healthy and Tommy Edman strengthening center field, this lineup is MLB's deepest. This team's chemistry, as well as the offense, is peaking at the right time, and Shohei Ohtani's historic 50 HR/50 SB season seems almost inevitable.
The difference between the Dodgers and everyone else is the greatest ball player the spot has seen in a long, long time, Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani, after playing for the horrible Angels, moves across town and this spotlight has been waiting for him. He will not disappoint. Dodgers will be your world champs.