There is a reason why MLB likes to play 162 games.
It eliminates the randomness of some stats and situations.
If the season was, say, 20 games long, we could probably see a mediocre team winning its division.
A 162-game season, however, separates the bad from the good, and the good from the great.
There is no doubt that the Los Angeles Dodgers, after virtually five months of play, are the best team in baseball.
The eye test seems to indicate that, but the numbers offer confirmation.
They are 88-38 so far, as of Monday afternoon, and have a 19.5-game lead over the second-ranked team in the NL West division.
But that’s not all: Los Angeles are also, by far, leading the standings when we combine both leagues.
Just a morning reminder… Best in the business! #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/BlB1aSBagb
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) August 29, 2022
The Dodgers Are Just Better Than Everybody Else
It becomes evident that the Dodgers are on another tier.
There is the league’s elite, containing the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets, and the Houston Astros; and then there is the Dodgers, who are a step-and-a-half ahead of every team in MLB.
They have achieved that record with several crucial injuries throughout the season: Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney have missed a lot of time, Walker Buehler barely pitched, Dustin May just returned recently; and Max Muncy, Craig Kimbrel, and Cody Bellinger have struggled for most of the year.
They just produce and produce stars and contributors, no matter the circumstances: thanks to their player development staff, forward-thinking approach and excellent coaching, they are prepared to endure every injury they suffer because they build enviable depth.
They seem to be on their way to the World Series, but will have to go through the aforementioned teams first.
NEXT: The Dodgers Have Been Virtually Unstoppable This Year