The Dodgers are rolling into Queens to face the Mets, and make no mistake, this isn’t some ordinary mid-season series. These Dodgers, who are 65-38, aren’t just good; they’re on a historic pace, eyeing what would be an unheard-of back-to-back-to-back World Series win. Forget everything else, that kind of dominance is what sets them apart in baseball right now.
Dodgers: An Unrelenting Machine
These guys are flat-out phenomenal. They’re third in baseball when it comes to scoring, putting up an incredible 5.19 runs per game. But what really separates them? Their pitching. They lead the entire league in run prevention, giving up a microscopic 3.67 runs per game. That’s a brutal combo for any opponent. And it’s not just one or two guys carrying the load. Take Tommy Edman, for instance. In exactly 100 plate appearances, he’s leading the team with a 171 wRC+, fueled by a ridiculous .360 batting average and a .439 batting average on balls in play. That’s insane efficiency! Shohei Ohtani, even with a “pedestrian” 146 wRC+ by his own absurd standards, is still their best qualified hitter, though his two-way status is up in the air since he’s taken a break from pitching. Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman are right there in the 130s with their wRC+ numbers, and even Dalton Rushing, Andy Pages, Miguel Rojas, and Will Smith are all comfortably above league average at the plate. Yeah, Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker are at 94 wRC+, and Teoscar Hernández is at 92 wRC+, but with that kind of depth, who cares? And their pitching staff? Top tier. The bullpen is seventh-best in baseball with a 3.77 ERA, and the rotation is second overall with a dominant 3.42 ERA. Finding flaws with this squad? Good luck, it’s nearly impossible.
Mets: Rocky Road and Soto’s Health Question
Meanwhile, the Mets are stumbling into this series, sitting at a disappointing 43-60. Remember when Steve Cohen wanted them to be the East Coast Dodgers? Yeah, that’s not happening. They’ve poured money into the payroll but haven’t seen consistent playoff appearances or a single National League East title under his ownership. They’re coming off a 3-3 road trip against the Phillies and Brewers, which, honestly, is about what you’d expect from a team having one of its most disappointing seasons ever. Their run prevention is below league average, giving up 4.69 runs per game. And their offense? It’s the fourth-worst in baseball, managing only 4.07 runs per game. A huge question mark hanging over this series is Juan Soto’s health. He got the day off in Milwaukee on Wednesday and wasn’t even pinch-hit in late, close spots that could have swung the game. Is he fully healthy? We’ll find out starting Friday. For the Mets, anything better than getting swept this weekend would be a positive outcome. Talk about low expectations.
This series kicks off Friday, July 24, with Sean Mana expected to take the mound. For the Mets, they’re hoping to avoid a complete meltdown against one of baseball’s all-time great teams. Perhaps, with a bit of magic, they can pull off a miracle and sweep the Dodgers. Hey, a fan can dream, right? But until then, the Dodgers are rolling, and the rest of the league has to figure out how to stop this historic run.
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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