Dodgers Infielder Says 'You Can't Find' a Better Team Than Los Angeles After Strong Offseason
Who has it better than the Los Angeles Dodgers as we approach the 2024 season? That's a legitimate question. As we sit in early February, it's hard to say that the Dodgers aren't the best team entering the new season.
From top to bottom, the Dodgers are loaded. They're projected to win 102 games by PECOTA, Baseball Prospectus' simulation calculator.
Our friends at Dodgers Nation spoke to shortstop Gavin Lux, who said "you can't find" a better team than his after their insane off-season additions.
It's hard to argue with each point.
The Dodgers arguably have baseball's deepest rotation on paper. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the best Japanese pitching prospect in a long time, if not ever, coming to the United States off three consecutive MVP awards in Japan. Tyler Glasnow has arguably the nastiest stuff of any of them. Bobby Miller has elite stuff and postseason experience at age 24. Walker Buehler will be back from Tommy John surgery and is an ace when he pitches to his potential. James Paxton and Emmet Sheehan offer enough depth for Clayton Kershaw to take his time coming back.
Although they lack a "traditional closer," the Dodgers' bullpen was the best in MLB by a wide margin in the second half of last season. Ryan Brasier, Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips, Joe Kelly, and Brusdar Graterol will all return. Blake Treinen, J.P. Feyereisen and perhaps Daniel Hudson have a chance to return from their injuries. Any of these guys could serve as a shut-down reliever on any given night. If they remain healthy, this bullpen could be the best in the majors, let alone the National League.
And lastly, the lineup. From 1-3, the Dodgers possibly have the best three players in any lineup, ever. No matter which order they bat in, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Shohei Ohtani will be lethal and intimidating on any given night. Beyond the three-headed monster, the lineup is no slouch: Max Muncy, Will Smith, Teoscar Hernández, James Outman, Chris Taylor, and Lux himself don't offer opposing pitchers a break.
The Dodgers have all the pieces. Now, it'll be time to show the baseball world they are the best team from here on out to October.
