Despite not having the best record in the league right now, the Los Angeles Dodgers are still the favorites to repeat as World Series champions. This year’s team is currently 40-28 and hanging onto first place in the National League West by half a game over the surging San Francisco Giants.
The talent on this roster is undeniable, and as more key players return and round into form, the Dodgers should eventually start racking up the wins. What might be just as encouraging for Los Angeles is the franchise’s long-term future.
Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly was bullish on the Dodgers’ fortunes over the next five years, ranking them as the No. 1 franchise primed for the most wins over this period. There’s an elephant in the room regarding this roster's age, but Kelly gave a logical explanation for why the Dodgers will be able to overcome those concerns.
“While the big three of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are all on the wrong side of 30, the future Hall of Famers aren't showing any signs of slowing down,” Kelly asserts. “The Dodgers also have a grip on the Japanese market that's going to give them a competitive advantage over the 29 other teams.
They've already got Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki under contract, which will help them to recruit from a country where they've become the de facto MLB team…President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is one of the smartest executives in the game, and he has plenty of resources to work with to keep the Dodgers at the forefront of the sport.
Time will tell whether Bleacher Report’s prediction proves true, but this franchise is gearing up for a dynastic run. The questions are how long the Dodgers’ current stars can stay in their prime and whether this roster can be healthy down the homestretch.
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