Will the Dodgers Top the ’01 Mariners 116-win regular season?

   The postseason pressure is mounting for the Dodgers, as this season has taken on a World Series-or-bust feel to it. For a team this talented and this successful to fizzle out in the playoffs, well, that might top the 2001 Mariners colossal disappointment of a season. That team finished with a record-tying 116 regular season wins, leading the league in runs scored and fewest runs allowed. Despite having Ichiro Suzuki (AL MVP, batting champ) and Bret Boone (.331, 37 homers), the Mariners failed to make the World Series. They lost the ALCS 4-1 to the Yankees, continuing the losing ways of the franchise – which has yet to appear in a World Series.

  The ’01 Mariners were an incredibly talented team, top to bottom in the lineup and rotation. Their depth draws obvious comparisons to the 2017 Dodgers, who can field 7 rock-solid starters when fully healthy: Kershaw, Darvish, Wood, Hill, Ryu, Maeda, and McCarthy. In their lineup, they have the 2016 Rookie of the Year Corey Seager, along with the 2017 ROY favorite Cody Bellinger. These guys have led Los Angeles to an 90-36 record (.714 winning percentage), just on pace to match the 116-46 Mariners record (.716 winning percentage). Will the Dodgers follow the Warriors as the next California-based team to take the regular season crown in a professional sports league?

   Although I have been converted into a believer of this team, I predict that the only way the Dodgers break the record is if they want to. The talent is there; the lineup and rotation both rank among the all-time great teams in several baseball metrics. However, manager Dave Roberts has built a culture in the clubhouse that is focused on winning in October – not necessarily in September. In 2001, the Mariners organization was consumed with counting down the wins until 116. They made the mark, but some of the players expressed that they were worn down in the playoffs from the regular season record-chasing grind. This is why I believe the Dodgers will come close, but not break, the record. Roberts has instilled the need for consistency down the stretch, and everybody doing their job. He is going to be very careful with ace Clayton Kershaw, who is still rehabbing from a recurring back injury. Yu Darvish, too, just went down with a back injury and has been placed on the 10-day DL. Cody Bellinger is nursing a mild ankle strain. Why push these star players, when you have the 1st seed and home field advantage all but guaranteed? I expect Roberts to rest his starters often, which will result in some extra losses over the next few weeks. In addition to that, the Dodgers have two series against the Diamondbacks, two series against the Rockies, and a series against the Nationals left. These are all teams that are either vying for a playoff spot or jostling for seeding. This might create some extra competitive contests, and thus some more losses than the Dodgers are used to.

   I want to say that the absolute tear that the Dodgers are on is not sustainable for the rest of the season. Looking up and down their roster, however, makes me have second thoughts. Finishing the season with 100 wins is guaranteed. 105 wins should be easily within reach. I expect them to finish with north of 110 wins, but less than 116 – still an incredible feat nonetheless. What will separate this team from the ’01 Mariners is how they perform in the postseason. And all signs are pointing to them having a very successful October.

Written by Matt Loehle