By several measures, the first half of 2025 was a success for the Dodgers.
They finished with a 58-39 record, a half-game ahead of the Cubs for the best in the National League and one game behind the Tigers for the best in the Majors. They lead the NL West by 5 1/2 games, even after dropping seven of their last nine games heading into the All-Star break.
But depending on who you ask, the Dodgers are not quite satisfied with how the season has gone so far.
“I think the win-loss, the standings are great," manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday's first-half finale. "But I think there’s just a lot of improvement that we need to do, we need to be better at. But yeah, I think, the end of the day, it is about wins and losses. … And expect us to come out guns blazing [after the break]."
Naturally, that begged the question: In which areas would Roberts like to see his team improve?
“I think it’s all of it," Roberts said. "The pitching, there’s some baserunning things, defense at times. It’s been steady, but the pitching, the offense, we gotta get on track. I always expect more from our guys, and they expect the same thing. … I’m very happy. I might not be showing it. Good first half. But yeah, we should want to get better.”
Here are some key storylines to follow as play resumes following the All-Star break:
One second-half goal: Keep their players on the field
As the Dodgers are all too aware, this is easier said than done. They ended the first half with 13 players -- 11 of whom are pitchers -- on the injured list, including high-profile names such as Blake Snell, Max Muncy and Roki Sasaki. L.A. should begin getting some of these players back not long after the break, and the objective from there is to be as close to full strength as possible in time for the postseason.
Likely Trade Deadline strategy: Buy strategically
Although the Dodgers have a high volume of pitcher injuries, their biggest need might actually be a bat to spell the absence of Muncy, who's expected to be out until at least the end of August with a bone bruise in his left knee. They could also use another right-handed leverage reliever, and even though they're expecting Snell back not long after the break and Sasaki around late August, it never hurts to add rotation depth.
Key player: Mookie Betts
Betts had arguably the most disappointing first half of any Dodger -- and of his career. His .696 OPS before the All-Star break was his worst in a full season, nearly 100 points lower than his next-closest mark (.792 in 2015). He's handled his position change to shortstop well, but if he can wake up his bat, it could be more impactful for the Dodgers than any Trade Deadline acquisition.
Prospect to watch: SS/3B Alex Freeland (Dodgers' No. 3 prospect, No. 41 overall)
If the Dodgers aren't getting enough production from Tommy Edman, Miguel Rojas and Kiké Hernández (once he's healthy) at third base, might they take a look at their top infield prospect before Muncy returns? Freeland has cooled down following a red-hot March/April, but he's been a productive bat for Triple-A Oklahoma City, hitting .260 with an .804 OPS and driving in 62 runs in 85 games.
The road ahead
A Major League team is a Major League team, but the true gauntlet of this season already took place for the Dodgers when they exclusively played prospective contenders for four weeks between May and June.
That's not to say that the stretch run will be easy, by any means. L.A. still has half of its intradivision slate remaining, which has the potential to make things interesting in the NL West. Here's a look at the Dodgers' second-half schedule:
- Games remaining: 65 (Home, 31; Away, 34)
- Remaining strength of schedule: .487, 25th in MLB, 13th in NL, fourth in NL West
- Key series:
- Aug. 15-17, 22-24 vs. Padres: Every meeting between these teams has been must-watch programming. In the final game of their most recent series, tensions boiled over after Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch for the third time in nine days. Two months later, will those emotions still run high?
- Sept. 12-14, 18-21 vs. Giants: The Dodgers have gone 4-2 this season against their longtime rivals, who ended the first half six games out of first place in the NL West. L.A. could have the division all wrapped up by the time these next series come around … or perhaps these will be a critical seven games.
- Sept. 15-17 vs. Phillies: The Dodgers dropped two of three in Philadelphia in April. The Phillies head into the second half in first place in the NL East -- a mere half-game ahead of the Mets -- so this series has the potential to be both a postseason preview and meaningful when it comes to seeding.