By using their bullpen as a weapon, the Dodgers have been able to overcome a season in which two starting pitchers from their rotation ended up on the injured list. The Dodgers’ offense, however, is the driving force behind everything and is what brought them back to the World Series.
Against the seven Dodgers relievers who pitched all nine innings in Game 6 of the NLCS, the Mets managed to score five runs. In 2022 and 2023, the Dodgers would have lost six of seven of their playoff games if they had given up five runs. They would have lost eight of their twelve postseason games in 2021, which would have ended their otherwise stellar run to the NLCS. The Dodgers have scored five runs or more in eight of their eleven games this season. Even though Freddie Freeman is still recovering from a sprained right ankle, the offense is playing at a high level. No other National League team has ever scored as many runs in a postseason series as they did in the NLCS, which ended with a mere 46 runs.
The Dodgers have the best wRC+ in MLB, hitting.251/.351/.434 as a team this postseason. The Yankees, their World Series rivals, are in second place with a 117 wRC+. The Dodgers (118 wRC+) and Yankees (117) were likewise one-two in the big leagues throughout the regular season. That they will compete in the World Series seems appropriate.
In eight of their eleven games this season, the Dodgers have scored five runs or more. The offense is performing well despite Freddie Freeman sprained right ankle, which he is still healing from.
In the NLCS, they finished with just 46 runs, more than any other National League team has ever scored in a postseason series. With a team wRC+ of.251/.351/.434 in playoffs, the Dodgers lead all MLB teams in this category. With a 117 wRC+, their World Series adversaries, the Yankees, are in second place. During the regular season, the Dodgers (118 wRC+) and Yankees (117) were also one-two in the major leagues. It seems fitting that they will participate in the World Series.
