(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Dodgers have already overtaken the Arizona Diamondbacks for the NL West lead.
We knew it was a really concrete possibility, and it happened a couple of days ago.
The Dodgers are just too resourceful to stay out of first place for long.
This doesn’t mean the D-Backs or the San Diego Padres can’t come back and make another charge, but LA is the gold standard of MLB organizations and has shown that year after year.
To achieve a 18-13 record, a five-game winning streak, and an 8-2 mark in the last 10 games, they must have really talented players.
They really do, and a couple of them were recognized for their efforts in MLB’s monthly awards.
Clayton Kershaw is the NL Pitcher for April.
James Outman is NL Rookie of the Month for April.#Dodgers
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) May 3, 2023
Clayton Kershaw was named the NL Pitcher of the Month.
At 35, he has a 1.89 ERA in 38 innings.
Talk about consistence and dominance.
He has been making MLB hitters look foolish since the late-2000s, and here we are, 15 years later, and he still has it.
It’s amazing.
Kershaw still has that trademark curveball, an incredible slider, and the best command you will find.
He keeps getting the job done and the Dodgers keep reaping the benefits.
James Outman, on the other hand, won the NL Rookie of the Month award.
Despite an elevated 34.5 percent strikeout rate, he leads the team in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) with 1.7 and is slashing a cool .282/.378/.583 with seven home runs and four stolen bases.
He is also a strong defender in the outfield, so he has been a huge hit by the Dodgers scouting and player development departments.
Outman is the perfect example of why LA is so dominant: they are the best in the league at getting a player to hit his ceiling.
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