The great first half of the season by the Los Angeles Dodgers, owners of the best record in the National League, has them on pace to win 100 games and brimming with confidence to perform even better in the second half, which begins tomorrow.
The last time the Dodgers won 100 games was in 1974, when they finished 102-60, although they lost the World Series to the Oakland Athletics.
For the first time since 2009, they have the best record (61-29) in the majors as they reach the All-Star break. They also own a run differential of +163, which is the best in National League history by the All-Star break.
The Dodgers have a seven and a half game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the N.L West Division and a six-game winning streak, which they will put on the line when they visit the Miami Marlins tomorrow and start a three-game series. They also have one more win than the A.L West-leading Houston Astros (60-29), which own the best record in the American League.
After the series in Miami they will play an interleague series in Chicago against the White Sox, who have begun once again to dismantle their team to start a new rebuilding process.
The Dodgers have won 26 of their 30 games since June 7, the best mark in baseball. After a 39-11 record at their home stadium in the first half of the season, the Dodgers play 40 of their remaining 71 games as visitors.
They face division rivals San Diego Padres and the disappointing San Francisco Giants a combined 18 times in the second half, and although they are the last two teams in the division, they will try to complicate the Dodgers’ march towards 100 wins.
What the Dodgers show is that they are a serious threat to win a fifth consecutive N.L West division title, something they should accomplish unless they get hit by the injury bug.
The Dodgers already overcame the injuries of infielder Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier, as well as Andrew Tholes.
The Dodgers didn’t miss a beat without those players thanks to third baseman Justin Turner’s bats and the fantastic play of Cody Bellinger, who has become a rookie sensation throughout the league.
Turner is batting .377 with 10 homers, 37 RBIs and 40 runs scored, while Bellinger is hitting .261 with 25 homers. The team’s 53 homers in June were the most in a month in the history of the franchise.
Even Cuban baseball player Yasiel Puig, an undisputed talent who has struggled in recent years, got some stability and batting .251 with 16 homers and 43 RBIs.
Starter Clayton Kershaw has been brilliant as usual, with a 14-2 record and a 2.18 ERA. The left-hander has made 13 straight starts without a loss, going 10-0 with a 1.98 ERA and the Dodgers winning every game.
