Dodgers Hype Time: How Many Games Will They Win In 2026?

PHOENIX — It is ne'er excessively early for hyperbole.

No awesome convention squad has won much than 116 games. The Dodgers had yet to play an accumulation crippled past outpouring erstwhile erstwhile Times columnist Dylan Hernández declared they could triumph 120.

Not to beryllium outdone, nan Dodgers were 1 week into nan play erstwhile Bill Plaschke posted a file pinch this headline: “Who says nan Dodgers can’t spell 162-0?”

The Dodgers won 93 games. They besides won nan World Series, becoming nan first back-to-back champions successful 25 years.

One week into outpouring training, nan Dodgers are nan only undefeated team.

Reality check: The Dodgers are not going to triumph each game, yet they play successful a marketplace wherever everybody expects them to triumph each game.

“They do,” head Dave Roberts said.

What would beryllium a realistic number of wins?

“I don’t cognize what’s realistic,” he said. “We triumph a batch of games. Honestly, we showed past twelvemonth that nan regular play surely does matter but, astatine nan extremity of nan day, you’ve sewage to beryllium playing your champion shot astatine nan correct time.”

During nan Dodgers’ 13-year playoff run, they‘ve won 100 games 5 times. When doing that, they‘ve made it to nan World Series once, losing to nan cheating Houston Astros. In 2023, they won precisely 100 games successful nan regular play and precisely zero successful nan playoffs.

It is 1 of baseball’s eternal verities that wins and losses successful outpouring training do not matter.

“It’s ever nosy to win,” said Andrew Friedman, nan Dodgers’ president of shot operations. “That is ever measurement much nosy than losing. But truthful overmuch of outpouring training is, conscionable don’t get a telephone from our trainer. Keep guys healthy.

“That is acold and distant nan biggest priority: get guys fresh for nan play and support them healthy.”

Noah Miller runs nan bases during a outpouring training crippled against nan Angels connected Feb. 21.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

If winning successful outpouring training is not predictive, neither is it irrelevant. For an statement that would alternatively premier a pitcher for nan postseason than situation usage him for 200 innings successful nan regular season, and juggle a roster spot each summertime truthful Kiké “Mr. October” Hernández tin beryllium disposable successful nan postseason, extent is critical.

“While location is nary nonstop relationship betwixt that and really you are going to do successful nan regular season, I do deliberation it is immoderate benignant of proxy for nan extent that you have,” Friedman said. “After 3 aliases 4 innings, location is simply a statement change, and insignificant convention players are coming in. I deliberation being capable to support a precocious level of play successful these back-side innings speaks to depth.”

Friedman is nary awesome instrumentality of nan Cactus League grind.

“So overmuch of outpouring training, it feels like, is conscionable downside,” he said. “You’re conscionable waiting for that telephone telephone [from nan trainer]. You’re doing everything you tin to stave that telephone telephone off.”

The upside is connected nan business side. As of Thursday, tickets for Saturday’s accumulation crippled against nan Chicago Cubs started astatine $97. The starters are apt to play half nan game. Shohei Ohtani is successful Japan, preparing for nan World Baseball Classic.

So, to nan point: It does not matter that nan Dodgers are undefeated successful outpouring training, and they’ll astir apt triumph location astir 100 games. They did, aft all, repair their 2 glaring weaknesses by committing $300 cardinal to All-Stars successful nan premier of their careers: outfielder Kyle Tucker and person Edwin Díaz.

Baseball Prospectus projects nan Dodgers to triumph 104 games. Fangraphs projects 99.

But this is nan play of hyperbole, truthful nan Dodgers still person a chance to spell 194-0 betwixt nan Cactus League and nan regular season.

I had to inquire Roberts really bully he thought nan Dodgers’ chances would beryllium this play if they ne'er lost.

He chuckled.

“Pretty good,” he said.