The Los Angeles Dodgers finished up the first half of their season about a week ago, and even with injuries and key bats not playing at the level they usually do, they finished 60-30. The record was good enough to lead their division at the break and have the best record in the National League. So what were the driving forces towards finishing the first half on such a strong note? Well, let’s dive into it. 

The first driving force that led the Dodgers to have a great first half was their pitching staff. Even with key pitchers being injured or, unfortunately, going on the Injured List, such as Walker Buehler, Andrew Heaney, Dustin May, and Blake Treinen, guys stepped up in a big way to fill those holes, including All-Stars Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson. The pitching staff as a whole stepped up and held their own in light of those key guys being on the IL. The Dodgers hope those arms can make a return at some point in the second half to give the pitching staff a boost (May is already working his way back gradually). 

Next, we have the big three at the top of the lineup. I’m talking about All-Stars Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, and Freddie Freeman. These three dudes come in every night and set the tone for the rest of the lineup, and all three had a fantastic first half, even with Betts missing a bit of time. Now they look to carry that momentum into the second half. At the same time, we can’t overlook Gavin Lux, who had a huge first half being consistent and having an excellent approach every at-bat while batting at the bottom of the order all season. He’s done a great job keeping the line moving, and it’s nice seeing him comfortable out there. 

Lastly, the Dodgers kept fighting. Throughout the first half, when down in the box score, the Dodgers fought back and came out on top. They’re only behind the New York Yankees in comeback wins this season. The fight this team has will be huge moving forward and is another big reason they were able to grind out a nice first half of the year. If they can keep that same fighter mentality when the going gets tough, who knows where that can take them in the long run because October is full of obstacles. 

Now, the Dodgers look to carry that momentum into the second half after opening it with a sweep against their rival San Francisco Giants. Learning and growing from the ups and downs of the season, taking it game by game, rep by rep, will only benefit them down the road as they use this second half to prepare for everything October may bring.