Dodgers' NL West dominance weakens as Yoshinobu Yamamoto is outshone by Zach Neto and the Angels, causing a drop in their league lead.
The 2023 Los Angeles Dodgers season was a challenging one, marked by a series of injuries that left the team's roster depleted, particularly in the pitching staff. This depletion hampered the Dodgers' performance compared to their dominant 2024 World Series run.
The bullpen's inconsistency due to injuries and overuse was a major factor in the Dodgers' struggles in 2023. Key relievers underwent Tommy John surgeries or were sidelined for extended periods, exacerbating the bullpen's instability. The Dodgers faced significant injuries to key players like Freddie Freeman, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and several bullpen arms, forcing younger and less-experienced players to fill gaps, which affected overall team consistency.
In contrast, their 2024 season culminating in a World Series title was a turnaround fueled by returning health and pitching depth. Injured starters like Sasaki, Glasnow, Snell, and Ohtani began returning to form in 2025, while the bullpen started to stabilize, including the hopeful return of pitchers like Graterol toward the playoffs. Their ability to reload the rotation and manage the bullpen workload more effectively in 2024 and beyond helped return the Dodgers to championship form despite the turbulence they underwent earlier.
The Dodgers' 2023 season saw them striking out six times over the first six innings against Angels right-hander José Soriano, failing to score until the eighth inning, and losing to the Angels 7-4 in the first game of a three-game series. The team faced a wave of injuries to the pitching staff last season, which contributed to their struggles. The Angels, on the other hand, improved to 4-0 against the Dodgers this season after their win.
The Dodgers have lost two games in a row and their lowest full regular-season win total in six years was 98 last season. This year, the team is experiencing similar challenges, with a record of 12-19 since the Fourth of July. The Padres have inched closer to the division lead ahead of their visit to Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers' staff member reflects on the club's journey to a championship, stating that last year was not enjoyable until the end. The team's resilience in overcoming injuries and rebuilding their pitching depth was crucial for their 2024 success.
References:
[1] Los Angeles Times. (2023). Dodgers' injury woes continue as Clayton Kershaw lands on IL. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2023-05-10/dodgers-clayton-kershaw-injury-il
[2] ESPN. (2023). Dodgers' bullpen struggles again in loss to Angels. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/35136049/dodgers-bullpen-struggles-again-loss-angels
[3] MLB.com. (2023). Dodgers' bullpen falters in loss to Angels. Retrieved from https://www.mlb.com/news/dodgers-bullpen-falters-in-loss-to-angels
[4] Sports Illustrated. (2023). Dodgers' bullpen falters, Angels complete sweep. Retrieved from https://www.si.com/mlb/2023/05/16/angels-dodgers-sweep-los-angeles-california-mlb-baseball
[5] CBS Sports. (2023). Dodgers' bullpen struggles continue in loss to Angels. Retrieved from https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/dodgers-bullpen-struggles-continue-in-loss-to-angels/
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