Dodgers Receive Interesting First-Half Grade From National Outlet

Sam Garcia | Jul 19, 2024

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The MLB All-Star game marks the halfway point of the season. While some teams are heading into the second half on a high note, others are expecting an early ending to their season.

Newsweek’s Noah Camras graded all 30 MLB teams on their first-half performances. Only seven teams were given an ‘A’. The Philadelphia Phillies were the only team awarded with an ‘A+’ as they stand in first place across all MLB teams and tied the MLB record with eight All-Star selections. The Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians, received ‘A’s’. The Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Dodgers barely made the mark as they each earned an ‘A-’.

“Like the Yankees, a rough end to the first half doesn't take away from the Dodgers' dominance. They've also dealt with more injuries to key players than any team with Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow among the many stars currently on the injured list.”

- Noah Camras, Newsweek.com

The Dodgers lost the last eight of their 11 games and four of their last five series before the All-Star break. Los Angeles was swept by the Phillies and lost a series to the second-to-last place team in the American League Central. But, the Dodgers still lead the National League West with a .577 winning percentage.

The franchise has battled injuries across several positions, espeically among its starting rotation. Glasnow led MLB pitchers in strikeouts and Yamamoto was a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year before their injuries. Going into the All-Star break, the Dodgers only had four healthy starters, including three rookies (Gavin Stone, Landon Knack, Justin Wrobleski).

Additionally, the absence of Betts and Max Muncy have created gaps in the infield and batting lineup.

There have been updates about the return of several players after the break, including Glasnow and Joe Kelly, which would help significantly deepen the Dodgers' currently limited roster.