Dodgers looking to build a dynasty
The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions, and with their dominant 4–1 series win over the New York Yankees, it feels like the start of a dynasty. The Dodgers are built to win now, and after raising the trophy, this is just the beginning.
Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman will all sit at the top of the lineup for years to come in LA, and they just beat one of the best teams in baseball on the biggest stage fairly easily.
NEW YORK, NY — OCTOBER 28: Walker Buehler #21 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during Game 3 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Monday, October 28, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
“We did go through a lot, but I’ll say we still had the best record in all of baseball this year. It wasn’t easy, but our guys fought and played every day the right way, played to win. There was a lot of backfilling on talent because of injury, and a lot of young players cut their teeth, which is good,” said Dave Roberts. “But one thing is that we just kept going. Even in the postseason, I don’t think anyone had us picked. I don’t think they had us picked to get out of the first series. For us to go out there and fight and scratch and claw and win 11 games in October, that’s a credit to our guys,”
NEW YORK, NY — OCTOBER 28: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers stands in the dugout for the singing of ‘God Bless America’ in the seventh inning during Game 3 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Monday, October 28, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
What makes this championship even more impressive is that the Dodgers’ starting pitching staff was depleted. Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, and Dustin May were all not available. Any of them could have been called upon to make a start in place of the bullpen games, and the Dodgers were so good that they were able to overcome this.
“I think we have the best organization in baseball with consistency, but you’ve still got to go out there and play the schedule. We have great ownership, great front office, and we’ve got great coaches and great players. We’ve still got to perform, but I think that we’re on our way,” said Roberts.
The fact that the manager is talking about the future by saying, “We’re on our way,” immediately after winning a championship lets you know what this team has set out to accomplish. One is not enough. A championship is great, but Ohtnai, Betts, and Freeman want to win more.
Rumors surfaced during the series that Los Angeles may be in on the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but resigning players like Teoscar Hernandez and Walker Buehler would be a better use of their money. Soto is a great player, but the Dodgers’ goal is to have a great team. Without Hernandez and Buehler, it is hard to envision the Dodgers winning this championship as easily as they did.
NEW YORK, NY — OCTOBER 28: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts while rounding the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during Game 3 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Monday, October 28, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
“It seems like we hit every speed bump possible over the course of this year. Overcoming what we did as a group of guys is special. This is what we start out doing every single spring training to win a championship. I think it’s the hardest thing to do in sports because you just never know what’s going to happen,” said Freeman. “I mean, we were down 2–1 in the NLDS, and it easily could have gotten away from us. And to come back and win those two games and keep it going like we did, it’s just a special group of guys.”
It is the Dodgers’ second World Series win in five years, and it still feels like they should have more. The front office, players, and management recognize it just as much as the fans and the mission is now to win as many as possible.
“I think we have the best organization in baseball with consistency, but you’ve still got to go out there and play the schedule. We have great ownership, great front office, and we’ve got great coaches and great players,” said Roberts. “We’ve still got to perform, but I think that we’re on our way.”
Top Image Caption: LOS ANGELES, CA — OCTOBER 25: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after hitting a walk-off grand slam in the tenth inning during Game 1 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Friday, October 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)