The Los Angeles Dodgers are the two-time defending World Series champions. They have the best record in the National League. And right now, a former MLB star is betting they won’t even make it to the NLCS.
Jimmy Rollins, who spent 15 years in the big leagues and won a ring with the Phillies in 2008, made his pick clear. He thinks a National League team will win it all this year. He just doesn’t think it’s going to be the Dodgers.
“The World Series winner will be an NL team…and it WON’T be the Dodgers,” Rollins said.
That’s a bold call, considering LA is sitting at 63-38 with an 11.5-game lead over the Diamondbacks in the NL West. But Rollins isn’t the type to just follow the chalk. He played for the Dodgers in 2015, so he’s seen the operation up close. And he saw things from his team in Philly that could cause problems.
What’s Actually Going Wrong in LA
It’s not like the Dodgers are collapsing. But there are cracks you can see from a mile away.
Shohei Ohtani, who’s the heavy favorite for NL MVP, has been pulled from the pitching rotation because of a knee issue. That takes away half his value in a way. He’s still hitting, but the two-way threat isn’t there right now.
Kyle Tucker, the guy they’re paying $240 million, isn’t doing what they brought him in to do. He’s hitting .240 with just seven homers and 47 RBIs. For a team built on slugging, that’s a problem.
And Emmet Sheehan got shelled in a loss to the Phillies last week. Six runs on eight hits. That kind of performance against a direct playoff rival sticks in your head.
The Teams That Could Actually Beat Them
The Phillies, Brewers, and Braves all have real arguments for being able to take down the Dodgers in October.
Philly has the pitching. Milwaukee has depth. Atlanta has the lineup and the experience of beating them in 2021 and pushing them last year. None of those teams are scared of LA.
Rollins might be wrong. The Dodgers could run through everyone and win a third straight title. But he’s played in October. He’s seen how fragile even a 100-win team can be when the ball stops bouncing your way.
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