3 Ways the Dodgers Can Stop the Padres and Diamondbacks for the NL West Title

If you haven’t been actively following the MLB standings over the past few weeks, you’re in for a pleasant surprise with what I’m about to tell you.

The San Diego Padres had won 27 of their last 39 games before Aug. 9, cutting the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lead in the NL West to 2.5 games. San Diego has started aggressively, especially after acquiring several top talents on trade deadline day.

The Padres aren’t the only team to worry about. The reigning NL champions, the Arizona Diamondbacks, have cut the Dodgers’ lead to 3.5 games, remaining just one game behind the Padres. The NL West has gone from a landslide Dodger victory to one of the most intriguing division races of the year.

If Los Angeles wants to stop these two thriving teams and win the NL West, a few conditions must be met.

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Because the Dodgers are so injured, this team is riding on the backs of their offseason acquisition, Shohei Ohtani. If you have to ride on the backs of an MLB player, it’s really only Ohtani and Aaron Judge who can carry teams the way they do.

Fortunately for the Dodgers, despite his lack of appearances this season, Ohtani had another historic season, likely heading toward another MVP award, this time given as strictly in the National League as it is to the designated hitter.

Even though Ohtani doesn’t pitch or play defense, he leads the National League in WAR with 5.7, tied with Reds star shortstop Elly De La Cruz.

But if the Dodgers want to hold off the Diamondbacks and Padres, they’ll need Ohtani to step up a gear down the stretch. Dave Roberts needs his superstar to post a 40-homer season, 40 stolen bases and an OPS above 1.000. Those are realistic expectations for one of the game’s best hitters. He currently has 34 home runs, 32 stolen bases and an OPS of 1.008.

Los Angeles will need a great finish to the season from their superstar. He needs to play like the $700 million man the Dodgers made him this offseason.

The difference between a title-contending team and a World Series-contending team can often be seen in what they do or don’t do in the days leading up to the trade deadline. The Padres added the best reliever on the trade market, as well as other pieces. The Diamondbacks also added some solid pieces.

Los Angeles did its part to add, led by deadline ace Jack Flaherty. The front office did its part by going out and buying before the deadline. Now it’s time for those trade acquisitions to work out as their price tag suggests.

Last season, Jack Flaherty was traded on deadline day and then fell apart for the Orioles late in the season. He’s looked much better this year and has already had a solid start for the Dodgers.

Michael Kopech will be a huge part of the Dodgers bullpen late in the season. They need to see him play like a high-leverage reliever. The Dodgers will only go as far as their signings will take them. If these guys let them down, their season could fall apart before their eyes.

And here we are at the most obvious and important part of this list. The Dodgers need to get and stay healthy, led by their superstar shortstop Mookie Betts.

It should be noted that these injuries are not meant to be an excuse for why the Dodgers are losing ground. Every team struggles with injuries. The Atlanta Braves lost two of their best players this season. Injuries are a part of the game, so they should never be used as an excuse for losing games. However, they can be used as an explanation for why a team is not performing as expected.

The Dodgers need Betts back in the worst possible way. Betts isn’t the only one on the injured list. Ryan Brasier and Walker Buehler are currently rehabbing, while Chris Taylor, Blake Treinen and several others don’t yet have timetables to return.

But the most important part here is Betts. The Dodgers have two major superstars in Betts and Ohtani. Losing either one would certainly devastate the team, as it has since Betts was placed on the injured list in mid-June.

Betts likely would have been at the level of play Ohtani has been this year, or better, had he stayed healthy. The Dodgers need to see him return, and return with his hair on fire, if they want to secure the NL West.

The good news is that his return is expected in the coming weeks.