Dodgers and Cardinals Hot

LA Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals Both Hot in May

By David A. Avila

Sometimes you’re hot, sometimes you’re not.

Other sports have just as many months of activity as baseball and some even longer, but none rival Major League Baseball in actual games played.

It’s a game of streaks.

The Los Angeles Dodgers currently ride a big wave of success with six consecutive series won. Among those they shoved aside were the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins. The team has won 15 of 18 games.

It’s no surprise that the Dodgers are among the first place teams in baseball. They were predicted by many to compete in the NL West. But few imagined the rival San Diego Padres would be running into problems winning.

Not for this publication.

Though we are barely into the second month of the season, we predicted that the Dodger pitching would lead them ahead of the other teams. Depth in their starting pitching has proven them stronger than the Padres.

On Wednesday, one of the Dodger starters Dustin May suffered another injury to his elbow. It could be a serious blow for both May and the team from Chavez Ravine.

Already the first place Dodgers are missing Walker Buehler who was the ace last year before he was felled by injury. Though the team has plenty of pitchers in the minor leagues, few can match May’s ability to shut down any team.

Dodger manager Dave Roberts said May is expected to miss at least a month.

As a team the Dodgers are among the top 10 teams in ERA at 3.91. Only the Atlanta Braves at 3.55 and Pittsburgh Pirates at 3.66 are better. In hitting, the Dodgers are also in the top 10 with a team OPS of .771. Only Atlanta at .802, Arizona at .773 and Chicago’s .771 are better.

But it’s a very long season and things can change dramatically.

One team that suffered a horrible start was the St. Louis Cardinals who had a dismal 10-26 record. Now they are one of the hotter teams in baseball and have won six consecutive games behind torrid hitting. As a team they have a .768 OPS.

Streaks are inevitable.

Last year the New York Yankees were the hottest team in baseball in May 2022. Then they hit a slump and barely made the playoffs. The Dodgers were cold in May 2022 but heated up in June. They streaked easily into the playoffs but were sunk by San Diego.

No one can predict who will win it all.

Pitching has always been key to winning. After 162 games the team with the greatest depth will prevail in the regular season. The playoffs are another matter. The hottest team at the end of September usually has a good shot.

A quick look at the teams leading their division shows that five of them have top 10 team ERAs. Only Milwaukee leads a division and does not have a top 10 ERA.  The Brewers sport a 4.01 ERA that ranks in 13th place overall. Fifth among NL teams.

The Dodgers have the best winning percentage in the National League at .636. The Braves are .628 and Arizona at .568.

In the American League Tampa Bay has .727 and are followed by Baltimore at .651 and Texas at .605.

It’s a long season and good or bad streaks are inevitable. Pitching depth is the key to winning.

Yankee Pitcher suspended

New York Yankee pitcher Domingo German was ejected from a game on Wednesday for suspicion of using an illegal substance while pitching against Toronto Blue Jays in Canada. He was also suspended 10 games and fined an undisclosed amount.

Last month New York Met pitcher Max Scherzer was caught and fined for using an illegal substance against the Los Angeles Dodgers in New York. He also served a suspension.

(Photo by MLB.com)