The query, tinged with incredulity, surfaced in each nook of the Main League Baseball universe final month as soon as the Dodgers strengthened a stacked lineup with Freddie Freeman: What number of video games will these plucky Dodgers win in 2022?

The consensus is someplace within the triple digits. A Nationwide League West title is seen as a formality. The opposite 4 groups, going by the prognostications, are enjoying for second place behind the membership with the very best payroll within the majors.

Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts started spring coaching with measured public ideas on his workforce’s possibilities. He famous they nonetheless need to play the video games. Then, on March 24, he dumped the modesty and assured the Dodgers will win the World Sequence on a nationwide radio present. Hours later, he doubled down on his bluster to reporters.

On Thursday, Roberts emphasised the issue to beat every day, every opponent’s finest punch. The Dodgers aren’t the defending World Sequence champions, however they’re the Dodgers and the Dodgers in 2022 are a villain.

“Simply embracing it’s what it’s,” Roberts stated. “Individuals like to beat the Dodgers. And our aim is to win the World Sequence. It’s each single yr. So to not shrink back from it, run from it. And if guys assume that that’s an excessive amount of strain, then we now have the flawed gamers. And I don’t consider we do.”

Roberts is aware of surprises floor over a 162-game season. A yr in the past, the San Diego Padres had been fast-approaching budding rivals, able to problem the Dodgers for divisional supremacy. Then the Dodgers received 106 video games, tied for many in franchise historical past, whereas the Padres crumbled down Interstate 5.

The issue for Los Angeles was the San Francisco Giants smashed expectations. They totaled 107 wins with a aptitude for the dramatic. The gorgeous revelation reinvigorated a historic rivalry. Ultimately, the Giants shoved the Dodgers off the NL West summit on the final day of the common season to snap their streak of eight straight division titles.

Two weeks later, the Dodgers retaliated, knocking the Giants out in a grueling five-game Nationwide League Division Sequence. However not profitable the division was pricey. They wanted a walk-off win over the St. Louis Cardinals within the wild-card sport simply to face the Giants earlier than assembly the Atlanta Braves within the Nationwide League Championship Sequence. The stretch is motivation to complete atop the division once more.

“We had been gassed,” Roberts stated. “And no excuse. We misplaced to a greater workforce, enjoying higher. However that’s incentive to form of play at house and get off days and set your rotation, all that stuff.”

The percentages are stacked towards the 4 groups making an attempt to maintain the Dodgers from the highest of the standings once more.

The Giants are projected to regress. Having catcher Buster Posey, their finest participant and a future Corridor of Famer, retire over the winter didn’t assist.

The Padres, the opposite authentic contender within the division, might be with out star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. for no less than the season’s first two months due to a wrist harm. The Colorado Rockies stay a rudderless group in disarray. The Arizona Diamondbacks compiled 110 losses final season. They’ll’t get any worse, however they’re years away from relevance.

Freeman signed a six-year, $162-million deal, however he wasn’t the biggest expenditure within the division over the offseason. That distinction belongs to Kris Bryant. The Rockies, a yr after virtually making a gift of Nolan Arenado, dedicated $182 million over seven years to Bryant to play left subject.

Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., hitting a house run towards the Dodgers final April, will sit out the primary two months of the 2022 season due to a wrist harm.

(Alex Gallardo/Related Press)

Bryant’s resolution was one other blow to the Giants; they acquired the slugger from the Chicago Cubs on the commerce deadline final summer season for the stretch run. The Giants as an alternative allotted most of their cash on 4 beginning pitchers. Carlos Rodón, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wooden, and Alex Cobb signed for a mixed $125 million to fill out the rotation behind ace Logan Webb.

San Francisco accomplished its offseason work by including former Dodger Joc Pederson on a one-year deal. Pederson will assume a well-recognized position beginning towards right-handed pitchers — each within the outfield and because the designated hitter — after serving to the Braves win the World Sequence in October.

He joins a gaggle headlined by shortstop Brandon Crawford, a top-five NL MVP candidate final season, and longtime first baseman Brandon Belt. The Giants will work round these two veterans. The choice-makers will attempt to place the others in favorable matchups to succeed. The technique labored, for instance, for LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores in 2021.

In San Diego, final season’s catastrophe price supervisor Jayce Tingler his job. The Padres changed him with Bob Melvin, who made the transfer from the Oakland Athletics. Melvin will subject a harmful lineup even with out Tatis, an electrical 23-year-old expertise marred by accidents, for many of the season’s first half.

The Padres nonetheless make use of perennial All-Star Manny Machado. Utilityman Jake Cronenworth broke out as an All-Star in 2021. Wil Myers and Trent Grisham have pop. They acquired Luke Voit, an influence provider, from the New York Yankees in March. Voit hit 22 house runs in 56 video games in the course of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Yu Darvish and Blake Snell prime a succesful rotation. Mike Clevinger, an elite starter from 2017 by 2020, will rejoin the group after lacking 2021 due to Tommy John surgical procedure. Nick Martinez was signed from Japan so as to add depth. The inclusions will push Dinelson Lamet, a Cy Younger Award candidate in 2020, to the bullpen.

The workforce is proficient. To dethrone the Giants and supplant the Dodgers, staying wholesome and avoiding clubhouse drama that engulfed the workforce final summer season might be paramount.

Clayton Kershaw is the one holdover from the final time the Dodgers entered a season not because the reigning division champions. The 2013 Dodgers received 92 video games and superior to the Nationwide League Championship Sequence. That end result could be thought-about a failure in 2022.

The lineup is loaded with a menace at each spot, and them some. The excess prompted the entrance workplace to flip outfielder AJ Pollock to the Chicago White Sox for nearer Craig Kimbrel to interchange Kenley Jansen. Pollock was projected to bat close to the underside of the order after posting an .892 on-base-plus-slugging proportion final season. Freeman, universally considered one of many sport’s finest hitters, compiled an .896 OPS.

Corey Seager was misplaced in free company, however the Dodgers successfully changed him with Freeman and one other All-Star.

Trea Turner, acquired on the commerce deadline final summer season, is a greater defender at shortstop than Seager and completed fifth within the NL MVP race in 2021. Freeman, a extra constant on a regular basis presence than Seager who hasn’t sat out greater than 4 video games in a season since 2017, will change Seager’s thump from the left facet. It’s a collective improve.

The Dodgers aren’t with out uncertainties.

They watched Max Scherzer signal with the New York Mets earlier than the lockout. Walker Buehler and Julio Urías are coming off essentially the most strenuous workloads of their careers. Kershaw ended final season with an elbow harm. Andrew Heaney and Tony Gonsolin, coming off disappointing seasons, are slated to occupy the ultimate two rotation spots.

Tyler Anderson and David Worth have been relegated to insurance coverage for a mixed value of $40 million. Trevor Bauer is on paid administrative go away no less than by April 16 and isn’t anticipated to pitch for the Dodgers once more.

Different reinforcement from inside may assist by the tip of the season. Dustin Might is slated to return after the All-Star break after present process Tommy John surgical procedure in Might. Bobby Miller, Ryan Pepiot and Landon Knack are three promising prospects. However the lack of depth on the main league degree has been sufficient of a priority for the Dodgers to scour the commerce marketplace for beginning pitching.

The Dodgers consider they may grind groups to a pulp, tax bullpens, and rating loads of runs. Roberts stated the explosive offense ought to give the pitching workers, notably the starters, extra margin for error. They envision merely outslugging groups some nights — and profitable one other division title earlier than enjoying deep into October.

“However, once more, that’s in idea,” Roberts stated. “You’ve nonetheless bought to go on the market and do it.”

1 | Dodgers

2021 — 106-56, 2nd in West
Final yr in playoffs — 2021

The lineup changed Corey Seager with Freddie Freeman — arguably an improve that offers the Dodgers the deepest offense within the majors — and the bench is deeper than a yr in the past. Kenley Jansen signed with the Atlanta Braves, leaving a gap at the back of the bullpen till Craig Kimbrel was acquired on the penultimate day of spring coaching. The largest query mark is perhaps the rotation, with prime starters (Walker Buehler, Julio Urías) coming off unprecedented workloads and a 3rd (Clayton Kershaw) coming off a significant elbow harm.

2 | Giants

2021 — 107-55, 1st in West
Final yr in playoffs — 2021

Successful back-to-back division titles grew to become extra e tough when Buster Posey, the membership’s chief and finest participant, retired in the course of the offseason. Logan Webb sits atop a rotation once more that includes pitchers on short-term contracts. Nearer Camilo Doval, a rookie sensation down the stretch final season, headlines a powerful bullpen.

3 | Padres

2021 — 79-83, third in West
Final yr in playoffs — 2020

Probably the most disappointing workforce within the majors final season is already dealing with an uphill battle with star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. sidelined for no less than the season’s first two months. The roster is proficient sufficient to soak up the blow and compete for a spot within the expanded postseason, however depth stays a possible challenge.

4 | Rockies

2021 — 74-87, 4th in West
Final yr in playoffs — 2018

A yr after handing the Cardinals $50 million and All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado in trade for 5 middling prospects, the Rockies gave Kris Bryant a seven-year, $182 million deal throughout spring coaching. To play left subject. Confused? So are we.

5 | Diamondbacks

2021 — 52-110, fifth in West
Final yr in playoffs — 2017

Not less than the Rockies spent some cash. The workforce within the desert did subsequent to nothing this offseason after dropping a franchise-worst 110 video games in 2021, tied with the penny-pinching Orioles for many within the majors.

Not less than Arizona has the Suns.