Los Angeles Dodgers: Why the Dodgers are still the NL’s team to beat
By Jason Reed
The National League is stacked heading into the 2019 season but it should be remembered: the Los Angeles Dodgers are still the team to beat.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the most consistent team in Major League Baseball the last six years. The Dodgers are currently riding the third-longest postseason streak in MLB history at six years and have won the National League in back-to-back seasons.
Of course, the big caveat is that the team is yet to win a World Series. All these playoff appearances are fun and all but most fans would take one World Series over six years in the playoffs with no World Series.
You have to make it to the playoffs first before even thinking about winning the World Series, though.
The Dodgers have pretty much dominated the last two years in the National League. The team was historically good in 2017 nearly swept their way into the World Series. 2018 was more challenging but the Dodgers still easily disposed of the Atlanta Braves and defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in seven games despite not playing their best baseball.
This year is different though with the National League getting significantly better. The Philadelphia Phillies have improved, the St. Louis Cardinals have improved, the Washington Nationals are still a playoff team without Bryce Harper and the Braves will get even better with age.
Even the NL’s bottom dwellers, your San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds of the world, have improved. The National League is talented from top to bottom this year and it is easy to see why the Dodgers might be lost in the mix.
Well, don’t you worry, you wonderful reader. The Los Angeles Dodgers are still the team to beat in the NL. Here are three reasons why.