The Los Angeles Dodgers are baseball's winningest team this season, but even they have had high and low points.
The second half of the 2026 Major League Baseball season is underway, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are aiming to make more strides toward their goal of winning a third-straight World Series title.
With a 61-36 record, Los Angeles is baseball’s winningest team through the first half of the season. Before the second half kicks off for the Dodgers, let’s review some of the good and bad factors that have been interwoven into where they are today.
The Good: Shohei Ohtani and Justin Wrobleski
In a recent episode of the “On Base” podcast, Ohtani’s teammates Mookie Betts and Max Muncy highlighted how much he loves to pitch and how seriously he takes his outings.
This season, his fervor for the position has been evident.
Ohtani has been a dominant force on the mound, and his performance has been an integral part of his team’s success. In 14 starts this season, Ohtani is 8-2 with a career-best 1.79 ERA through 85.2 innings pitched. Additionally, his 0.95 WHIP is currently a career-best mark.
Betts and Muncy said that Ohtani turns into a different person when he is on the mound as opposed to when he is only hitting. Such a level of dedication is what the Dodgers need from their best player, and his mindset alone is a right step in getting through the arduous postseason march in October.
Another pitcher in the rotation who has turned heads this season is Justin Wrobleski. The 26-year-old lefty has had a campaign to remember so far, working his way to a 10-2 record and a 2.69 ERA that made him an All-Star for the first time.
Manager Dave Roberts referred to Wrobleski as the “unheralded ace” of the team, and he made it clear that the Dodgers would not be where they are without Wrobleski’s contributions. Los Angeles currently has 12 players on its Injured List, and with pitchers such as Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow not due back until August, Wrobleski’s presence is needed now more than ever.
The Bad: First half finish and Betts’ bat
It is hard to find much wrong with the back-to-back World Series champions who currently have the best record in baseball. However, even the Dodgers are not immune to imperfections.
Before the All-Star break, Los Angeles was swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Additionally, it was 2-5 over its last seven games.
Roberts made it a point ahead of the All-Star game that the Dodgers need to play better, and that is especially true in the opening frame of their second-half schedule, in which they will visit the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies.
Currently, the Dodgers only have the best record by 1.5 games. The Milwaukee Brewers are hot on their trail and, if they want to maintain it, better baseball needs to be played.
To play better, Los Angeles could certainly use more from Mookie Betts at the plate.
Simply put, it has been a bad year for Betts when he has the bat in his hands. Injuries have also limited him to 60 games, and during those appearances, he has posted a .235 batting average, a .293 on-base percentage, a .416 slugging percentage and a .709 OPS.
With the exception of his slugging percentage, those metrics are the lowest of Betts’ career. At 33 years old, he is past his prime, but he is still heavily relied upon. If the Dodgers end up in a pinch and need him to deliver a clutch at-bat, Betts has to deliver.
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