For an MLB record-tying 14th consecutive season, the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to the postseason. The Dodgers clinched a postseason berth with Monday's win (LA 4, CIN 1) and had a muted celebration in the Great American Ball Park visiting clubhouse. A larger celebration will come when they clinch the NL West, which could happen as soon as Wednesday.
"It's different than anything I've experienced, for sure," Tarik Skubal, who threw seven shutout innings on Monday, said following the game (via MLB.com). "But I think it just speaks to the people in this room and what they expect out of this team. A little toast and move on.
We've got more to accomplish this season." The Dodgers are favored to win the World Series and become baseball's first back-to-back-to-back champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees, but under no circumstances is it fait accompli. The Dodgers were inches -- inches! -- away from losing the World Series multiple times last year, and this year's team looks to be much more vulnerable. With the caveat that they are an excellent team and a bona fide World Series contender, here are four reasons the Dodgers may not complete the threepeat and fail to win this year's World Series.
The Dodgers are good enough and deep enough to win the World Series without Shohei Ohtani being a major contributor, but it would be awfully difficult, and Ohtani is clearly compromised. He has not pitched since June 3 (and won't pitch again this year) due to knee, biceps, and neck issues. Issues that have bled into his hitting and recently sent him to the injured list.
"I think he realizes it's the best thing for him," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said when Ohtani was placed on the injured list (via MLB.com). "To give him the best chance to be the player he wants to be -- we want him to be -- in October." Ohtani went 7 for 54 (.130) with 22 strikeouts in the 14 games before going on the injured list. Quite often, he would grimace and flex out his right arm after taking a swing.
As a two-way player, Ohtani had to go on the pitcher 15-day IL, not the position player 10-day IL. He is eligible to return on Wednesday, Sept. 23. The Dodgers will have five games remaining in their regular season at that point.
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