It was a humiliating defeat. The LA Dodgers suffered the humiliation of being eliminated in the first stage of the postseason even after winning 100 games. Is there really a way to make up for this? At this point, the only option is to recruit Shohei Otani (29).
The Dodgers once again won the National League West Division Series this year with a 100-win season (62 losses). From 2013 to this year, they won the Western Division 10 times in 11 years and achieved 100 wins in 4 of the last 5 seasons. The remaining season was also shortened by 60 games due to the COVID-19 incident, but this season, they achieved an incredible winning percentage of .717 with 43 wins and 17 losses, and even fulfilled their long-cherished wish of winning the World Series.
However, the Dodgers were once again frustrated on the fall baseball stage. In the division series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, they suffered the humiliation of losing all three games of the series and losing in a sweep. Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 (6 runs in ⅓ innings), Bobby Miller in Game 2 (3 runs in 1⅔ innings), and Lynn in Game 3 (4 runs in 2⅔ innings) were eliminated after not even lasting the third inning. The starting ERA collapsed miserably at 25.07. The batting lineup, which had trusted Mookie Betts with no hits in 11 at-bats, was also shut down with the team's batting average at 1.77 li (17 hits in 96 at-bats). A total of 6 points were scored, 2 points in all 3 games.
A humiliating season. There are many voices criticizing the Dodgers leadership for not making any special moves in the trade market last winter and this summer. In fact, the exact reason why the Dodgers were holding their breath last winter and this summer is not clear. However, what everyone guessed and cited as the likely reason was Ohtani's recruitment. It is said that they crouched down to make a full bet with all their soul on Ohtani, who will become a free agent at the end of this season.
The failure of this year's fall baseball paradoxically made 스포츠무료중계 it necessary to recruit Ohtani. Recruiting Ohtani has become a necessity rather than an option.
The American sports media 'Bleacher Report' said on the 13th (Korean time), 'The Dodgers and Ohtani need each other,' and 'The Dodgers are the team with the most wins, winning 1,031 since the 2013 regular season. However, the Dodgers' only win came in the shortened 20202 season. We know that it takes multiple wins to solidify a dynasty. “There is no better way for the Dodgers to overcome this challenge than recruiting the best player in the world,” he said.
He continued, ‘There is no question about whether the Dodgers have room. The Dodgers' current payroll is 6th, but they will probably be 11th in the 2024 payroll rankings. “This was by design,” he said. “It goes without saying that the Dodgers need the 29-year-old Ohtani, who is sure to win his second American League MVP with 43 home runs and an OPS of 1.066,” and made a preliminary stop to recruit Ohtani. He also emphasized that it was necessary.
Even if the Dodgers do not recruit Ohtani, there are currently two MVP-level players in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Based on these players, the Dodgers recorded 249 team home runs and a team OPS of .795. Both ranks second overall in the major leagues. First place was the Atlanta Braves, who showed off their overwhelming power.
However, the media said there were blind spots in this record. The media said, 'Although the Dodgers are behind only Atlanta in scoring and home runs this year, Betts and Freeman are too involved. The combined wRC+ (adjusted scoring production) of the two was 165. However, the average wRC+ of the remaining 12 Dodgers batters who had more than 100 plate appearances was only 100.' Except for Betts and Freeman, all of them were league average hitters. The offensive power of Betts and Freeman was ultimately revealed in this year's Division Series. With Betts and Freeman silent, the Dodgers could do nothing. The argument was that Ohtani should be brought in to add weight to the batting lineup.
Regarding the return of Ohtani, who underwent elbow ligament surgery last September, as a pitcher, he said that the Dodgers are a team with plenty of time to spare. The media reported, 'Ohtani will undergo elbow surgery in September and will not pitch in 2024. But the Dodgers are better than any other team at handling this. Promising players include Kershaw, Lin, Miller, Walker Buehler, Dustin May, Emmett Sheehan, Ryan Pepiot, Gavin Stone, Nick Frasso, River Ryan, and Landon Knack. 'We can rotate and manage until Ohtani is ready again,' he explained.
However, the media emphasized that the Dodgers were a ‘winning team’ for Ohtani. The media reported in the past that Otani click here said, “Losing sucks. Quoting the comment, “I want to win,” he said, “There are famous players such as Betts, Freeman, Kershaw, JD Martinez, Will Smith, and Max Muncy, and there are quite a few players who have experience winning with these players.” However, in October, This may no longer be an asset. “Maybe what these players need is a man who can remind them of their hunger,” he said, emphasizing that Ohtani’s desire to win can make a difference in the Dodgers.
However, they must compete to recruit Ohtani with many clubs, including district rivals such as the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres, and the New York Mets and New York Yankees. The Dodgers must win this competition.
The media said, 'If it becomes known that Ohtani doesn't want to play for the Dodgers, there won't be much they can do. However, the Dodgers may not pursue Ohtani and fail to recruit him. This is a situation where there is no excuse. “If we send Ohtani to district rival teams such as San Francisco or San Diego, it will be an unforgivable situation for everyone,” he said. “He is a player for whom there is no plan B.” The next best free agent after Ohtani would be Bellinger, but that's a reunion that won't happen. “The best trade target is Juan Soto, but San Diego will not send him to the Dodgers,” he said, emphasizing again that Ohtani is the only player who can overcome the Dodgers’ current crisis.