- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,245,437
- Reaction score
- 59
The second half of the 2026 Major League Baseball season has been underway for a week, and teams are doing what they can to prepare for the Aug. 3 MLB Trade Deadline while gearing up for the postseason or retooling for next year.
In the case of the Los Angeles Dodgers, history has a chance to be made. After coming off back-to-back World Series titles, the Dodgers can do something that has not been accomplished in more than a generation: three-peat.
The last team to do so was the 1998-00 New York Yankees, and if Los Angeles pulls it off, it will join New York and the Athletics as the only organizations to accomplish such an illustrious feat. With a 65-38 record, currently good for the best in baseball, the Dodgers are on the right track, but they will need more in the second half, especially from one player.
Recently, The Athletic released power rankings with corresponding players who need to shine so their respective teams can be successful. The Athletic made it clear that each week, it asked writers from the local and national level to rank the teams from first to worst.
Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers are No. 1.
The cast is star-studded, and it needs to be for Los Angeles to capture a three-peat. The Dodgers did not sit on their hands after narrowly beating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series to capture their second consecutive ring; they got even better.
Big offseason acquisitions of Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker could have put this team over the top. Instead, Diaz has not pitched since April 19 due to loose bodies in his right elbow, and when he has, he has registered a 10.50 ERA.
Tucker, on the other hand, has been healthy but not as advertised. That is why The Athletic is calling him out to perform better in the second half of the season.
Through 96 games, Tucker has a .236 batting average, a .329 on-base percentage, a .360 slugging percentage and a .689 OPS. In each of those metrics, he is less productive than he was last season.
For a player who signed a four-year, $240 million contract in the winter to don the Dodger Blue, Tucker has not lived up to the price tag. Sure, Diaz needs to be better as well when he returns, but a long stint on the Injured List is beyond his control.
In the present moment, Tucker is healthy and has been healthy. When competition ramps up in the postseason and teams that want to spoil the Dodgers’ chances at a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment are on the prowl in October, Tucker needs to be the best version of himself. Otherwise, this may look like a waste of money.
Don’t miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It’s completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Continue reading...
In the case of the Los Angeles Dodgers, history has a chance to be made. After coming off back-to-back World Series titles, the Dodgers can do something that has not been accomplished in more than a generation: three-peat.
The last team to do so was the 1998-00 New York Yankees, and if Los Angeles pulls it off, it will join New York and the Athletics as the only organizations to accomplish such an illustrious feat. With a 65-38 record, currently good for the best in baseball, the Dodgers are on the right track, but they will need more in the second half, especially from one player.
Tucker needs to shine
Recently, The Athletic released power rankings with corresponding players who need to shine so their respective teams can be successful. The Athletic made it clear that each week, it asked writers from the local and national level to rank the teams from first to worst.
Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers are No. 1.
The cast is star-studded, and it needs to be for Los Angeles to capture a three-peat. The Dodgers did not sit on their hands after narrowly beating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series to capture their second consecutive ring; they got even better.
Big offseason acquisitions of Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker could have put this team over the top. Instead, Diaz has not pitched since April 19 due to loose bodies in his right elbow, and when he has, he has registered a 10.50 ERA.
Tucker, on the other hand, has been healthy but not as advertised. That is why The Athletic is calling him out to perform better in the second half of the season.
Through 96 games, Tucker has a .236 batting average, a .329 on-base percentage, a .360 slugging percentage and a .689 OPS. In each of those metrics, he is less productive than he was last season.
For a player who signed a four-year, $240 million contract in the winter to don the Dodger Blue, Tucker has not lived up to the price tag. Sure, Diaz needs to be better as well when he returns, but a long stint on the Injured List is beyond his control.
In the present moment, Tucker is healthy and has been healthy. When competition ramps up in the postseason and teams that want to spoil the Dodgers’ chances at a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment are on the prowl in October, Tucker needs to be the best version of himself. Otherwise, this may look like a waste of money.
Join the Community
Don’t miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It’s completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Continue reading...
