Dodgers News: L.A. Crushing Left-Handed Pitchers in 2017
The 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers are absolutely crushing the narrative that the team is unable to hit left-handed pitching.
The Dodgers were absolutely atrocious against left-handed pitching in 2016. It seemed that it did not matter what quality of pitcher they faced, if they were throwing from the left side, the Dodgers were not going to put up any big numbers.
The stat line they put up was something that you see of a last place team, not one that made it to Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.
| NAME | GP | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| vs. Left | 132 | 1612 | 159 | 344 | 70 | 5 | 37 | 148 | 160 | 403 | .213 | .290 | .332 | .622 |
In over 1600 at-bats last season, the Dodgers could not even mount a measly .300 on-base percentage. Their .622 OPS was last place in all of Major League Baseball in 2016.
Fast forward to 2017, the Los Angeles Dodgers have turned into an offensive powerhouse, running on all cylinders. The stat line they are currently putting up is nothing close to the embarrassing numbers from last season.
| ARM | GP | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| vs. Left | 77 | 933 | 148 | 247 | 55 | 4 | 47 | 144 | 118 | 239 | .265 | .352 | .483 | .835 |
| vs. Right | 94 | 2251 | 341 | 575 | 135 | 7 | 90 | 314 | 280 | 593 | .255 | .342 | .442 | .783 |
The Dodgers are actually hitting left-handed pitching much better than they are against right-handed pitching, though it has been in less than half of the at-bats. Their OPS is now up by 213 points and according to Buster Olney of ESPN, it is the second best in all of baseball.
The Dodgers have improved their OPS vs. left-handed pitchers by 213 points this year. Ranked 30th in 2016, and now 2nd in 2017, at .835.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 20, 2017
The need for a bat or two that the Dodgers were somewhat desperate for at last year’s deadline is not much of a thought at all in 2017. They are ranked among the league’s best in almost every offensive category and are currently position the largest run differential due to the stellar pitching from the rotation and bullpen.
With the team being able to tame left handers in 2017, there looks to be very little that can actually stop them from winning.
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