In what had been considered a foregone conclusion for months, the Los Angeles Dodgers officially clinched their seventh consecutive National League West title this week with a 7-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
By wrapping up the division in the 146th game of the season, it represented the earliest L.A. has ever won an NL West title. The previous record was 151 games achieved by the 1977 team.
Perhaps most impressive about the Dodgers’ accomplishment has been their dominance against NL West teams this season. Their 18-game lead over the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks at the time is the largest margin of victory for an NL West champion since the 1975 Cincinnati Reds (20 games).
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who has his fingerprints all over the 2019 roster, offered high praise for the group and specifically noted their relationships as what has impressed him the most, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“The dynamic within the group, the camaraderie, the business-like approach in what they do,” Friedman said, listing the personality characteristics of a “special group.”
“I think last year helped, the beginning of last year helped. … I also think the mindset and approach of this group was unique and different than anything I’ve experienced. People asked a lot throughout the year if I was concerned about the size of our lead and whether I was fearful of any dropoffs. I really wasn’t, only because being around them everyday, watching the way they go about it, watching the way they prepared and the way they compete, it was something where I felt each and every night we’d go out and play our best.
“This is just a really professional group, one of the best dynamics within a team – the way they challenge one other, the way they support one another. It’s the best dynamic I’ve ever been around.”
As Friedman highlights, the Dodgers are one of the more tight-knit groups in all of baseball, often supporting each other while buying into manager Dave Roberts’ team-first mentality.
Friedman has been complimentary of the Dodgers all season, previously deeming the starting rotation as the best staff he’s ever been around.
The Dodgers now have roughly three weeks to prepare for what they hope is another deep postseason run and trip to the World Series. Besides staying healthy, the club’s main goal for the remainder of the regular season is to solidify home-field advantage throughout all of October.
At 94-52, L.A. trails the New York Yankees and Houston Astros by only one game for the best record in baseball.
