Is there really a better team in MLB than the Los Angeles Dodgers? Right now, as the 2026 season approaches the "dog days of summer," there just isn't.

And, honestly, that's to be expected with the high-powered offense that the Dodgers put out on a regular basis. Still, teams have to go out and perform on the field. In other words, they have to get the job done.

Look at the Dodgers right now and, despite dealing with injuries, they are ruling the roost of the baseball world. They are in first place in the National League West Division at this point.

Even The Athletic and its baseball writers know that Los Angeles is No. 1, putting the Dodgers in that spot in the latest MLB Power Rankings. In the Week 8 rankings, the Dodgers were at No. 2. Not in Week 9, though.

MLB reporter Grant Brisbee of The Athletic also predicts that two-way star Shohei Ohtani's ERA is going to climb above 2.00. 

"The Dodgers have won every NL West title except one since Barack Obama’s first presidential term, and it’s getting harder to be mad about it. It’s become a permanent fixture of the baseball landscape," Brisbee wrote.

"You have to remain vigilant, however!" Brisbee continued. "It is still unacceptable for a pitcher to say, 'I’m going to try to win the Cy Young because it sounds neat.' While Ohtani did not say this explicitly, it is widely assumed that he’s actively seeking a Cy Young Award this season, and I reject the level of talent it takes for someone to make a lil’ extra push for the award and have it work.

"Ohtani’s ERA is currently under 1.00, but his FIP is nearly two runs higher," Brisbee wrote. "He already has all the talent; he should give whatever luck he finds to someone who needs it."

Do you want to know how deep Ohtani goes as far his pitch selection is concerned? It's ridiculously wild. According to his Baseball Savant profile, Ohtani has used seven different pitches already this season. Sure, some are at a higher use level than others. But seven? That's insane...insanely good.

Those seven pitches include a four-seam fastball, curveball, sweeper, split-finger fastball, sinker, slider, and cutter. Ohtani really leans into using his four-seam fastball and sweeper a lot of the time. The other pitches might be used to catch hitters off-stride when they "think" they've figured Ohtani out.

After Wednesday night's 4-1 win over the Colorado Rockies, Ohtani is 5-2 with an anemic 0.82 ERA. In 55 innings of work, Ohtani has struck out 61 batters and has a 0.82 WHIP.

The Great Ohtani continues to impress on the mound along with being one of the team's outstanding hitters, too. Ohtani makes for must-see TV whenever he's at the plate, too.

The Dodgers, 36-20 this season, are off on Thursday before opening up a three-game weekend series at Dodger Stadium against Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

After this weekend set, Los Angeles hops on a short flight to Phoenix, where it'll go into a key three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

That series against Arizona kicks off the June section of the Dodgers' schedule, meaning the MLB world has officially stepped into summertime.

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