Breslow and Henry built the Red Sox built to beat the dodgers

[bobo52]

Red Sox are built to beat the Dodgers.  They have 4-5 lefty starters in Tolle, Sandoval, Suarez, Bennet and Crochet.  The only righty is Gray.  Just look at the Dodger splits below.  Ohtani is almost mortal with an 885 OPS.  Freeman is around league average against lefties at 719 and Mookie sucks at 589.  Dalton Rushing also is much worse against lefties at 692 OPS and Will Smith is even worse at 434.  

I think the Dodgers  picked up Skubal who is a lefty because they just didnt want the Brewers to get him so they dont have to face him.

I will also point out that the Dodgers will soon be on a big decline.  Betts already declining at 33 (they have to pay him $30 million a year until 2033),

Freeman is 36 and Muncy is 35.  

Ohtani struggling with injuries is 32 but they need to pay him $46 million a year (CBT payroll which also happens to be the right number) until 2033 when he will be 38.

Dodgers age is showing now as they are 5 and 10 in August.  A long season is tough on 35 and 36 year old guys.  

These will to just easily be replaced in free agency either - the payroll is already massively bloated and they have to keep paying underperforming players like Betts for a long time.  

 

2026 MLB Hitting OPS Splits

Dodgers 

 

Dodgers

Starters

Hitter	Bats	OPS vs RHP	OPS vs LHP
Shohei Ohtani	L	.915	.885
Andy Pages	R	.751	.880
Freddie Freeman	L	.943	.719
Max Muncy	L	.852	.851
Mookie Betts	R	.749	.589
Kyle Tucker	L	.688	.763
Teoscar Hernández	R	.708	.725
Tommy Edman	S	.928	.848
Dalton Rushing	L	.836	.692
STARTING 9 AVERAGE		.804	.731

Reserves

Hitter	Bats	OPS vs RHP	OPS vs LHP
Alex Call	R	.536	.875
Miguel Rojas	R	.533	.852
Enrique Hernández	R	.750	.761
Ben Rortvedt	L	—	—

[mvp 78]

The problem is that they may have to go through the Yankees who have been strong vs LH starters (766 OPS overall with Judge/Grisham/Goldie/Bellinger/Rice/McMahon all over 800). Rays have also been decent vs LH starters (754 OPS overall with Vilade, Diaz, Camiero and DeLuca over 800). 

[bobo52]

 

 

Quote

 

The problem is that they may have to go through the Yankees who have been strong vs LH starters (766 OPS overall with Judge/Grisham/Goldie/Bellinger/Rice/McMahon all over 800). Rays have also been decent vs LH starters (754 OPS overall with Vilade, Diaz, Camiero and DeLuca over 800). 

 

 

Here are charts for Yankees and Tampa Bay.  Tampa Bay has a problem with LHP but Yankees with Judge and Goldschmidt are a different animal.  They hit well against both sides.

Interestingly right now - we appear headed for the Yankees in the WC round as we are both solidly the 4 and 5 seeds (the 3rd division winner is the #3 seed).   Only a total TB collapse (or collapse by Red Sox or Yankees) can change that.  Catching the Yankees would mean the series is played at Fenway - I think we want that.