Los Angeles Dodgers on pace for record-breaking 119 wins

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 22: Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated at home plate after hitting a game-winning walk off home run off relief pitcher Daniel Bard #52 of the Colorado Rockies to defeat the Rockies 4-3 in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 22, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 22: Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is congratulated at home plate after hitting a game-winning walk off home run off relief pitcher Daniel Bard #52 of the Colorado Rockies to defeat the Rockies 4-3 in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 22, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

As it stands, the Los Angeles Dodgers (22-8) are on pace for the wins record.

If not for the shortened season, the Los Angeles Dodgers would be on the verge of breaking quite a remarkable record. One that hasn’t been broken in nearly two decades. I’m talking about the almighty wins record held by the Seattle Mariners since 2001 when they recorded116 regular-season wins.

So far this year, through 30 games, the Dodgers have a 22-8 (.733 W-L%) record. In a 162-game season, this would put them on-pace for 119 wins, which would make them the undisputed record-holders.

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At the same point back in 2001, the Mariners had only a slightly better record of 23-7 (.767 W-L%). And before that, in 1998, the New York Yankees also sported a 23-7 record through the team’s first 30 games.

The Dodgers entered the 2020 MLB season favored to win the pennant in the national league. Thus far, they have delivered by posting the best offense (6.7 fWAR) and the second-best pitching (4.1 fWAR) in the NL according to FanGraphs.

The addition of Mookie Betts has really come in handy this season as the slugger is tied for 2nd place in MLB with 11 HR. You also have last season’s MVP, Cody Bellinger, starting to heat up, hitting 4 HR while also sporting a flashy 1.700 OPS in the last 5 games.

What’s more, the team’s pitching is finally coming together with Clayton Kershaw looking like the Cy Young award winner of the mid-2010s and Walker Buehler starting to heat up. After a relatively slow start for Buehler, last night he pitched 6 IP, striking out 11 batters while allowing just 1 ER.

For a team that has been threatening to win a World Series for the past 7-years, 2020 might just be the year the Los Angeles Dodgers finally get their rings. Unfortunately, they won’t be able to hoist the wins record to go along with it.