3 Dodgers most responsible for holding off Padres, D’Backs down the stretch
The Los Angeles Dodgers made decisions this offseason with one goal in mind: win and win now. They made this obvious when they signed Shohei Ohtani to a ten-year, $700 million contract that includes $680 million deferred. Basically, the Dodgers are paying Ohtani $2 million a year for the next ten years so that they can build a loaded roster around him. Then, they will pay him $68 million a year for the next ten years following his contract expiring.
That puts the Dodgers in an urgent place where they need to win as much as possible over the next decade because once they have to issue Ohtani $68 million a season while he isn't on the roster, they will be fighting an uphill battle.
The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres have surged of late, and hold two of the top NL Wild Card spots. Both of these teams are closing in on the Dodgers in the NL West, but Los Angeles will lean on three players to hold the Padres and Diamondbacks off down the stretch.
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3. RHP Jack Flaherty has to step up at top of Dodgers rotation
The first player on this list will be the Dodgers' biggest trade acquisition from the 2024 trade deadline, ace Jack Flaherty. Flaherty was the best starting pitcher dealt at the deadline and the Dodgers landed him for a package of talented prospects.
The Dodgers rotation has been destroyed by injuries this season. The injury bug has been so bad to them that they could have built an All-Star rotation of pitchers that were just on the IL at any given point. Ohtani and Yamamoto among others won't pitch for quite some time.
Glasnow has missed time with injuries, as have Kershaw and Buehler. This leaves the most pressure on Flaherty to come to town and be the ace of the staff down the stretch. He may face the responsibility of being manned against other top pitchers in win or go home games down the stretch.
Flaherty was picked up as a rental and the Dodgers are going to need him to perform as well as he ever has in order for them to secure this division. Los Angeles needs to win over 70 percent of Flaherty's starts down the stretch to secure themselves the NL West and the first-round bye that they're looking for.
2. DH Shohei Ohtani
Duh, the responsibility of how this team performs will fall onto the shoulders of their $700 million man. When Ohtani signed on the dotted line to make him the highest paid player in sports, he was accepting the fact that this team would be dependent on him for the next decade. He would need to produce again and again to prove that he's worth that kind of pay day.
And to this point, Ohtani has performed as well as almost anybody in the league. He's a lock to bring home the NL MVP award at this point, despite not throwing a single pitch. His ability to pitch is a big reason why he inked a $700 million deal and not a $300 million deal. But either way, this team will only go as far as Ohtani takes them.
For the first time in his big league career, we're going to get to see the Japanese superstar be a part of a postseason push. He has the chance to secure himself deeper into the status of baseball legend by performing well down the stretch. The Dodgers need him to continue to prove why they were right to sign him to such a deal.
1. SS/OF Mookie Betts
To preface, Ohtani is the best player on this team and he's going to bring home the NL MVP award. As much as he should be the top name on this list, I decided to place Mookie Betts above him because we have watched the Dodgers struggle without Betts over the last few weeks. Betts sets the table for Ohtani and the rest of the Dodgers.
He needs to return from this injury and catch fire over the last few weeks of the season. The Dodgers were able to stay with a similar group of infielders at the trade deadline because they knew that they had Betts waiting to return. The Los Angeles front office and banking on the superstar utility-man to play like a superstar.
They need him to be a leader, hit like an MVP and field like a Gold Glove winner if they want to hold off the surging NL West contenders. Betts and Ohtani form one of the best baseball duos in the 21st century. If Betts doesn't bounce back from the injury well, the Dodgers will be left to rely on Ohtani harder than ever before.