How the defending champs fixed their 2 biggest flaws

The Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series titles, but this year's team may be the most well-rounded group they've assembled yet.

A quick look at where the Dodgers have stood through 60 team games in each of the past three seasons says a lot.

2026: 38-22 (.633), +126 run differential
2025: 36-24 (.600), +79 run differential
2024: 37-23 (.617), +82 run differential

Only nine other teams in the Expansion Era (since 1961) have outscored their opponents by at least 126 runs through 60 team games. Seven of the nine reached the World Series, and five of the last seven to do so won it all, which bodes well for Los Angeles’ three-peat quest.

Teams with run differential of +126 or better through 60 games
Expansion Era (since 1961)

2026 Dodgers: +126 (???)
2023 Rangers: +155 (won World Series)
2022 Yankees: +127 (lost ALCS)
2020 Dodgers: +136 (won World Series)^
2018 Astros: +128 (lost ALCS)
2016 Cubs: +151 (won World Series)
1998 Yankees: +138 (won World Series)
1976 Reds: +135 (won World Series)
1974 Dodgers: +138 (lost World Series)
1969 Orioles: +133 (lost World Series)

^60-game regular season

What makes those numbers even more remarkable is that the Dodgers have achieved them despite Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Will Smith all hitting significantly worse than they were at this point last season, and despite offseason addition Kyle Tucker recording a .722 OPS so far.

Max Muncy and Andy Pages have helped pick up the slack at the plate, and fully unleashing the pitching version of Ohtani has made a difference, too, but those factors alone don't fully explain why the Dodgers are dominating to this extent.

A big part of the improvement stems from Los Angeles shoring up its two biggest weaknesses from 2025: its defense and its bullpen. Here’s how the Dodgers have done it.

DEFENSE

The MLB-best .254 batting average on balls in play Dodgers pitchers have allowed this season shouldn't simply be written off as good luck. Los Angeles' defense has played a huge role in keeping that number down.

In fact, if you remove catching from the equation, only the Cubs have had a stronger defensive showing than the Dodgers in 2026.

Highest IF/OF fielding run value, 2026

1. Cubs: +30
2. Dodgers: +19
3. Red Sox: +14
4. Cardinals: +13
5-T. Astros: +12
5-T. Padres: +12

That runs in stark contrast to a year ago at this time, when their infielders and outfielders had a combined fielding run value of -3 through 60 games. The Dodgers’ defense did improve as the season progressed and showed up in a big way in Game 7 of the Fall Classic. But even so, it wasn’t this good.

The defensive gains have come at a few positions in particular, with third base chief among them. At this time last season, Muncy was tied for the lowest FRV among third basemen at -6. (He finished the season at -4.) He’s been much better this season, tying for tops at the position with +5 runs.

The Dodgers also have seen improvement at both corner-outfield spots after signing Tucker to play right field and moving Teoscar Hernández to left. Tucker himself hasn’t been all that good with the glove (-1 FRV), but he’s still been an upgrade over Hernández in right. Hernández, meanwhile, is actually on the positive side of the ledger in left field (+1 FRV).

Los Angeles' current corner-outfield FRV of 0 may not seem impressive, but it's a big jump from where the club was last year. Through 60 games in 2025, Dodgers corner outfielders had combined for a -7 FRV -- including -6 from Hernández and -4 from Michael Conforto, who is now with the Cubs. They finished the year at -14 between those two spots.

BULLPEN

Los Angeles’ relief corps finished the 2025 regular season with 27 blown saves (tied for seventh most), a 63% save conversion rate (tied for 18th best) and a 4.27 ERA (tied for 20th best). The team’s bullpen was such a glaring weakness that it largely bypassed its regular relievers during the postseason, instead relying on starters coming out of the 'pen to cover key innings late in games.

The Dodgers tried to address the issue during the offseason by signing All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69 million deal, but Díaz had to have right elbow surgery after seven appearances.

And yet, the Dodgers’ bullpen ranks seventh in ERA (3.19), is tied for sixth in save-conversion rate (70%) and has the highest pitching run value in the Majors.

Highest pitching run value, team bullpens, 2026

1. Dodgers: +32
2. Braves: +30
3. Marlins: +29
4. Padres: +26
5. Mets: +21

One of the biggest reasons for that turnaround has been Tanner Scott, who joined the Dodgers on a four-year, $72 million deal after an All-Star campaign in 2024 but struggled in his first season with Los Angeles, posting a 4.74 ERA and blowing 10 of his 33 save chances.

Scott posted his first blown save of the year on Saturday against the Phillies, but he has otherwise been dominant in 2026. He owns a 2.19 ERA with five saves and a 9.33 K/BB ratio across 24 2/3 innings and has helped fill the void as the Dodgers’ primary closer since Díaz’s injury.

But Scott's resurgence is only part of the story. Just as important has been the emergence of Will Klein, Edgardo Henriquez and Kyle Hurt. The trio combined for only 33 1/3 innings in 2025, with Hurt missing the entire season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. In 2026, though, those three have thrown 63 innings with a collective 2.14 ERA and +15 pitching run value.

It all adds up to a team that looks even more complete than the one that just won two straight titles.