The World Series back-to-back championship seemed just around the corner. They were rated as the clear number one team. It seemed the LA Dodgers' dynasty was beginning. The Dodgers are still strong. However, something is creaking. There is discord.
The Dodgers lost a stunning comeback defeat of 10-11 in the '2025 Major League' game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, on the 23rd (Korean time).
On that day, the Dodgers took the lead with a three-run homer from Tommy Hyun-soo Edman in the first inning. However, starting pitcher Dustin May immediately gave up 5 runs in the first inning. The lead vanished in an instant.
In the second inning, after a walk to lead-off batter Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández grounded into a double play, but Andy Páez hit a solo home run to narrow the gap by one run.
However, in the 5th inning, they allowed a two-run homer to Kyle Tucker, increasing the gap to 4-7. The Dodgers showed their resilience. In the 6th inning, a solo homer from Will Smith brought them back to 5-7, and they turned the game around with a big inning in the 7th. During the 7th, a single from Andy Páez and consecutive walks from Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts loaded the bases with no outs, and an error on a ground ball by Teoscar Hernández at third base made it 6-7, keeping the bases loaded. In the continued bases loaded situation, Freddy Freeman hit a two-RBI double to turn the game around to 8-7. With no outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd, a sacrifice fly from Tommy Edman and a timely double from Will Smith extended the lead to 10-7.
However, the Dodgers' bullpen couldn't protect that 3-run lead. Alex Vesia, who came in during the 8th, gave up a two-run homer to Kyle Tucker, closing the gap to 10-9. And in the 9th, closer Tanner Scott collapsed after getting two outs. He allowed a game-tying solo homer to Miguel Amaya.
The Dodgers' momentum quickly faded. In the top of the 10th inning of extra time, with no outs and a runner on 2nd, no one could solve the situation. Then, in the bottom of the 10th with no outs and a runner on 2nd, they were hit by a walk-off hit from IAAN Happ on the first pitch. A shocking walk-off defeat for the Dodgers.
Currently, the Dodgers' record stands at 16 wins and 8 losses, placing them 2nd in the National League West. This division has a close competition with teams like the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and Arizona Diamondbacks all boasting around a .600 winning percentage. Because of this, while they may not be prominent, the Dodgers remain the strongest team in the league. They have not dropped below first place in power rankings set by various media outlets.
However, looking inside, the situation for the Dodgers is not very good. In the starting rotation, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has shown dominance with a record of 3 wins and 1 loss and an ERA of 0.93 (29 innings, 3 earned runs) over 5 games, showcasing his incredible ace quality he displayed in Japan. However, Blake Snell, who was brought in with a five-year, $182 million contract, is on the injured list due to shoulder inflammation, and Tyler Glasnow has also been pulled early due to recent calf muscle cramps. Roki Sasaki is just starting to adjust to Major League Baseball. Shohei Ohtani is still not ready to return as a pitcher. Dustin May, returning from a long injury, exited after 5 innings with 10 hits allowed (1 home run), 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 7 runs allowed.
The batting lineup has not been running smoothly with the MVP trio of Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddy Freeman. Betts struggled with gastrointestinal issues during the Tokyo opening game, leading to a rapid weight loss. Freeman suffered a bizarre ankle injury after slipping in the shower. Ohtani celebrated the birth of his daughter but has not been performing well recently.
The 10 runs scored in this game against the Cubs was the highest of the season. Despite this, they could not secure a victory. After the game, manager Dave Roberts noted in an interview with local reporters from the 'LA Times,' "We just needed one more out, but we couldn't finish it. We scored 10 runs. We have to win games like this," reflecting his disappointment.
He conveyed his disappointment regarding opportunities in scoring position. In this game, the performance in scoring position was only 3 hits out of 14 at-bats. The season average in scoring position stands at .253, ranking 13th in Major League Baseball. This cannot be considered exceptional. While they are scraping together wins, the current situation of the Dodgers cannot be deemed perfect.
The 'LA Times' remarked that “the Dodgers are achieving the third-best record in Major League Baseball and, as a team aiming for back-to-back World Series championships, have virtually no long-term issues,” but added, “However, this team is not quite clicking well enough to be called the best team right now. They had the highest scoring game of the season, but their performance remains lacking.” Can the Dodgers truly find their place as the undisputed champions?
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