Dodgers Win 100 and More News

Dodgers Win 100 Fourth Consecutive Regular Season and More News

By David A. Avila

It took the 162nd game but the Los Angeles Dodgers squeaked out their 100th win in the final day of the season by defeating their historic rival the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Sunday.

It was the fourth consecutive full scheduled season the Dodgers won more than 100 games. No other team in Major League history has ever accomplished the same feat. Not the Yankees, Cardinals, Red Sox or Giants ever managed to do it.

At the beginning of season things looked grim with the loss of Justin Turner, Trea Turner and pitcher Tyler Anderson to free agency. And then Gavin Lux went down with a leg injury and suddenly eyes began to get wide and people questioned if the Dodgers would even make the playoffs.

Already the team was without ace Walker Buehler and closer Blake Treinen but when Tony Gonsolin went down and then Dustin May dropped off, the team was left with only ageing veteran Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias.

You know the rest.

Kershaw went down and returned but seems slightly off, but still managed to be the team leader in wins and ERA. And Julio was suspended for his second domestic abuse charge and will not be returning.

So how did the Dodgers win 100 games with all these losses and handicaps?

Somehow, the team from Chavez Ravine kept their eye on simply winning each game with defense in the middle of the field. In a year when several rules changes emphatically changed the game, defense and pitching kept the Dodgers in every single game.

Miguel Rojas became the everyday shortstop. For years he beat the Dodgers while playing for Miami Marlins and the team signed him as a back up for Lux. But when the youngster went down during spring training it was Rojas who led the Dodgers as their leader on the infield.

They needed his kind of leadership with both Turners gone.

Of course, having Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman pummeling opponents in their best years ever also helped the Dodgers win the West Division their 10th of 11 years.

And then you had the Dodger rookie pitchers Bobbie Miller, Ryan Pepiot, Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, and Michael Grove who all came up from the minor leagues and showcased their talent all year long.

Finally, you have manager Dave Roberts and the administrative staff led by Andrew Friedman who know exactly how to pick players to fill spots. They have been doing it successfully in bringing winning baseball ever since 2012.

“I don’t think there is a better organization from top to bottom,” said Roberts. “It sets the bar high for everybody.”     

Angels and Padres Underperform

Two other Southern California teams failed miserably.

The Los Angeles Angels have the two best players in baseball and once again disintegrated like candy cotton in the summer heat. Despite having Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout to fashion a one-two punch without peers, both were felled by injury and so went the Angels playoff hopes again.

Down in San Diego, the Padres had signed shortstop Xander Bogaerts to add to the already powerful hitting lineup featuring Manny Machado, Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis. And despite a strong pitching staff led by Blake Snell, the Padres performed dismally until the final month of the season by winning 20 of 27 games and ending with 82 wins. They fell two wins short of making the playoffs.    

Others to examine are the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets in the NL. And the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox in the AL. 

Managers Fired

The San Francisco Giants fired manager Gabe Kapler who led the team to 107 wins in 2021 and won Manager of the Year.

Also on the gone list is Buck Showalter of the New York Mets after his team faltered badly and failed to make the playoffs in 2023. Last year the Mets won 101 games and Showalter was named Manager of the Year.

Both are gone.

Tim Wakefield Passes

Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, the knuckleball wizard,  passed after a bout with cancer. He was 57 years old.

Wakefield was one of the pitching heroes for the 2004 Red Sox team that won a World Series to break the long drought. He won nearly 200 games for the Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates.

“I get the news that Wake had passed. Sometimes you ask why,” said Red Sox teammate Kevin Millar on MLB network. “Tim Wakefield was one of the greatest teammates I ever had.”

Wild Card Playoffs

AL

Minnesota Twins vs Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday if needed.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Texas Rangers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday if needed.

NL

Milwaukee Brewers vs Arizona Diamondbacks on Tues. Wed. and Thurs. if needed.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Miami Marlins on Tues. Wed. and Thurs. if needed.

Division Series begins on Saturday.

 (Photo by Sportsnet)