The Dodgers are rolling into Queens today sitting at a mind-boggling 65-38, looking every bit like the unstoppable force they’ve been all season, and frankly, like a team eyeing a historic third straight World Series title. Dude, if they pull off that back-to-back-to-back World Series win, it’d be a rarity in baseball, and they’re doing just about everything right to make it happen. They’re third in the league in scoring, putting up 5.19 runs per game, and somehow, they’re the BEST team in baseball at run prevention, only letting opponents score 3.67 runs per game. Talk about a machine!
L.A.’s Relentless Hitters & Unstoppable Arms
Seriously, their lineup is stacked even when some guys are having what would be career years for anyone else. Tommy Edman, with exactly 100 plate appearances, is leading the team with a ridiculous 171 wRC+, fueled by a .360 batting average and a crazy .439 batting average on balls in play. And Shohei Ohtani? His 146 wRC+ is considered “pedestrian” by his own absurd standards, which tells you everything you need to know about him. He’s stepped back from pitching for now, but man, imagine if he gets back to two-way dominance. After Ohtani, Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman are tearing it up in the 130s wRC+, and Dalton Rushing and Andy Pages are comfortably above league average at the plate. Even Miguel Rojas and Will Smith are hovering just above league average. And get this: all those guys are making up for the fact that Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker are at a 94 wRC+, with Teoscar Hernández barely behind at 92. Even their “slumps” are part of a winning formula! On the pitching side, their bullpen is the seventh-best in baseball with a 3.77 ERA, and their rotation ranks second with a killer 3.42 ERA. Finding flaws with this squad is like trying to find a unicorn, it’s just not happening easily.
Mets’ Season Of Disappointment And Soto Questions
Meanwhile, over in Queens, it’s a completely different vibe. Steve Cohen bought the Mets wanting to turn them into an East Coast version of the Dodgers, but with their 43-60 record, that just hasn’t materialized yet. They’ve spent a ton of cash but haven’t been consistent playoff contenders and haven’t sniffed a National League East title under Cohen. This season is already one of the most disappointing in franchise history, and it’s not hard to see why. Their run prevention is below league average, giving up 4.69 runs per game, and their lineup is the fourth-worst in baseball, only scoring 4.07 runs per game. Talk about a gut punch for the fans. They just finished a 3-3 road trip against the Phillies and Brewers, which, honestly, for this team, is a perfectly average outcome.
Now, the big question mark hanging over this series is Juan Soto’s health. The Mets gave him the day off in their series finale in Milwaukee, and refused to even pinch-hit him in some late, close spots that could’ve swung the game. You gotta wonder what’s going on there, and whether he’s actually healthy enough to make an impact against the Dodgers.
This weekend kicks off Friday, July 24, with Sean Mana on the mound. For the Mets, anything better than getting absolutely swept by this Dodgers juggernaut would be a welcome outcome. Hopefully, for the folks in Queens, it won’t be too much longer before they actually look like the perennial contender Steve Cohen promised.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Amazin’ Avenue.
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