"Returning all their key contributors, the defending World Series champions had emerged from free agency with the best starter on the market, the best reliever on the market and the best pitching prospect in the world. They were not just destined for greatness; they were bound to be an all-time juggernaut, top to bottom, eons beyond any of their competitors."
"A season expected to be a coronation of the Dodgers has turned into something different altogether: a crapshoot. For the second consecutive year, only two teams in MLB won 95 or more games -- and the Dodgers weren't even one of them. And while a 90-plus win season culminating in a division title would be a successful year for most teams, it was far short of L.A.'s lofty preseason expectations."
Los Angeles entered 2025 as defending World Series champions with returned key contributors, top free-agent starter, premier reliever, and the game's best pitching prospect. PECOTA projected 104 wins, signaling historically high expectations. The team started 8-0 but suffered a cascade of injuries that produced a major-league-high 2,500-plus days missed, with more than $70 million of payroll going to players on the injured list. The Dodgers finished well short of their lofty goal, failing to reach 95 wins and transforming a projected coronation into a season-long struggle. Payroll size failed to translate into dominance amid persistent health setbacks.
Read at ESPN.com
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