Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers Left Out of Top 5 in Pre-Spring Training MLB Lineup Rankings

It's too early to give true rankings anyways.

Ryan Menzie

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The Dodgers were considered the most feared team heading into the 2022 season. However, with the huge roster turnover it may not come as a surprise to see them out of the top five. 

In ESPN's latest pre-Spring Training rankings, the Dodgers come in as the sixth-best lineup heading into 2023.

The Dodgers sit right behind the Blue Jays yet rank two spots ahead of the Mets who are on track to have the highest payroll in MLB history. 

The game for the Dodgers has been to remain patient and sign non-risk contracts, but with All-Stars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman still leading the way it's no question they are capable of being an elite team.

A lot of firepower was lost and it's unlikely the Dodgers will match the 111 wins from 2022, but they are still a team to keep an eye on (via ESPN).

The Dodgers project as the most patient team in the majors and once again will grind opponents with a collective domination of the strike zone and elite on-base percentages. However, this club looks to have a little bit less raw power than past Dodgers teams, as it projects to finish 12th in isolated power and 15th in homer percentage.

The problem for the Dodgers that puts them at sixth is they currently have a top-heavy batting order. 

But the stark difference in this lineup is that, for the Dodgers, it lacks the usual depth of star power. Certainly, few, if any, teams can match the one-two punch of Betts and Freeman, and Smith is a star-level catcher. But the Dodgers have just three hitters projected to finish in the top 90th percentile or better by OPS+.

What matters most is the production during the regular season so this list should be meaningless for the Dodgers. However, this is something fans can consider when relying on the experts and their opinion on the Dodgers off-season so far. 

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Ryan Menzie
RYAN MENZIE

Ryan Menzie | Lead Contributor Ryan is an LA Native who has grown up praising the greatest athletes LA has had to offer. A love for sports ranging between basketball, football, volleyball and golf, a future Sports Management Masters graduate, and being engulfed into organized sports since seven years old, the passion and love for sports never ends for Ryan. If the words he writes don't paint the full picture of his true fandom, he will find more ways than one to tell the story and be more than willing to open up a nice LA sports debate with you. Favorite Player: Mookie Betts Favorite Moment: 2020 World Series. The Lakers won the NBA title and the Dodgers secured the World Series only a couple of months later. During such a rough time with COVID-19 and such a bleak look at how sports has tried to overcome the circumstances, it was a relief to see the night sky lit up for many nights and a makeshift parade in LA when it seemed like we needed it the most.

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