Are the Dodgers World Series or Bust This Year? MLB Executives Don’t Seem to Think So
Each season, the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fans have extremely high expectations – World Series or bust. This year is no different and might be leaning a little more towards the World Series because of the $1.2 billion spent in the offseason.
For ESPN baseball insider Buster Olney, the Dodgers are one of three teams who entered this season with World Series or bust mentalities. The New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies are the other two.
What makes these three teams so special? Olney recently joined Doug McKain and revealed the gritty details.
“I remember saying early in the year, I thought that there were three teams that were ‘must-win-the-World-Series’ this year,” Olney said. “One would be the Yankees, maybe the only year they have Juan Soto. Two would be the Phillies, who were the best team in baseball in the middle of last October and didn’t finish off and win the World Series. Number three were the Dodgers.
“I’ve mentioned that to some executives, and they have said, ‘No, they’re not.’ They’re not absolutely must-win the World Series or bust in terms of how they’re doing things because, unlike the Yankees, who we don’t know what they’re going to be in 2025, we know the Dodgers are going to be great. We know the Dodgers are probably going to be great in 2026 with the makeup of the roster, and Andrew (Friedman) has done a great job of managing the payroll. So, I don’t think there’s that absolute ‘gotta have it right now’ in the way that there is for the Yankees to upgrade the roster before this year’s trade deadline.”
Based on Olney’s comments, Dodgers fans can breathe a sigh of relief. This team is set up for years to come. They have been decimated with injuries during the first half and need to get healthy before the expectations can be realistic. While not winning is disappointing at the moment, there are plenty more opportunities down the road to be even better.
Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
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Spend a billion dollars in the off season, it is WS or bust. Dodgers need to learn how to hit with RISP.
The notion that the team spending the most on payroll wins the world series is absurd. In the last 24 years, the team with the highest payroll has won exactly 3 championships or 12% of the time. In the same time frame, teams with the 10th highest or 17th highest have won twice each or 8% of the time. In last 20 years, the Yankees have had highest payroll 11 times and the Dodgers 6. Both have won once in the time period.
Highest payrolls – with the exception of the Mets who led last year and are leading this – simply ensures you’ll be playing in October. Period.
The Dodgers have been among the top payrolls for the last decade (they are 6th this year) and – to the the surprise of no one – have played in October each year. Maybe they’ll win this year or maybe not but we do know without question we’ll continue to hear “win or bust” stories this year and for the next several to come.
@Bum4ever, although I don’t necessarily disagree with your stats (I don’t doubt them, just not looking to verify them), the one thing that stands out to me about LAD is the consistency in winning the NL West, followed by playoff flops and underperforming when it counts. They currently own a 6 game playoff losing streak and are 3 – 10 in their last 3 playoff series dating back to 2021 NLCS. This, to teams we finished 18, 22, and 16 games in front of in the regular season. Roberts has been given everything and more than anyone else could hope for, and they’ve won 100+ games in the last 4 complete seasons for the first time in MLB history. That kind of regular season dominance sets expectations. Don’t care about any of the stats you cite, because even being true, do not necessarily predict the utter failures of this team and Roberts’ inability to get them to play at their highest ability when it matters – October.
But hey, let’s justify underachievement and celebrate another NL West crown and attendance award, receiving their well deserved participation trophy…again.