Dodgers: Baseball Talking Head Opines LA is 'A Pitcher or Two Short' of Making the NLCS

Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo has LA falling short of NLCS in his way-too-early LCS predictions

Opening Day is slowly approaching, and before we know it, your Los Angeles Dodgers will be taking the field at Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers lost a lot more than they gained this offseason, and the expectations may not be as high as they’ve been in years past. 

Just ask MLB talking head Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo, who made his way-too-early ALCS and NLCS predictions on MLB Network’s High Heat doesn’t even have the Dodgers reaching the final four stage. 

A way-too-early 2023 ALCS & NLCS prediction, @MadDogUnleashed style. #HighHeat pic.twitter.com/j0u6hnUviw

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 27, 2023

Mad Dog mentioned that this is how he feels right now and that his stance on this can change many times. 

Regarding what he stated about the Dodgers, those concerns are valid. LA lacks the pitching to make a run at it, but good thing we’re in January and not days away from October. 

Still, the Dodgers remain favorites to win the NL West and have the third-best odds to win the World Series behind the Houston Astros and New York Yankees, according to BetMGM.

With the little the Dodgers did in free agency, they did add veteran pitching, but not the superstars that were free agents. 

Righty pitcher Noah Syndergaard was added to the rotation in mid-December and pitched in the 2022 World Series as a member of the Philadephia Phillies. 

Syndergaard will essentially replace Walker Buehler, who has been out since June 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and could miss the entire 2023 season. 

LA’s pitching is not as dominant on paper as in years past, but a lot can happen from now until the trade deadline. 

An incredible rotation can win a World Series, but the Dodgers problems have been their cold bats in the postseason. Their pitching was more than solid last postseason, but when LA needed a timely hit, the bats weren’t responding. 

Timely hitting has been the Dodgers woes for several years, and if they can get over those struggles, then LA has a serious shot at being a part of the NLCS and even winning the whole thing.