**Drought Over! After Another Embarrassing Collapse, It’s Time to Call the Dodgers What They Are After Some Major Shakeup**
The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the 2024 season with the kind of expectations that come with a high payroll, perennial playoff appearances, and a fanbase starved for a title. After all, the Dodgers are supposed to be the gold standard in Major League Baseball—consistently in the postseason, always loaded with talent, and never too far from a World Series championship. But as another disappointing playoff exit looms, with yet another late-season collapse, it’s time to take a step back and call it like it is: this team is no longer a lock for success, and they’ve become a shadow of their former dominant selves.
Yes, the Dodgers were once the team to beat. But it’s been two years since they hoisted the World Series trophy in 2020, and since then, they’ve been plagued by underachievement when it matters most. This is no longer a franchise that should be seen as an untouchable powerhouse. It’s a team that needs a major shakeup—a new direction, both in terms of personnel and philosophy.
**A Pattern of Collapse**
What’s becoming abundantly clear is that the Dodgers’ playoff problems are no fluke. Year after year, they seem to find a new way to fall short when the games matter most. Whether it’s the 2021 National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves, or the 2023 Divisional Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers’ lack of resilience in the postseason has become a running joke. They enter each postseason as one of the best teams in baseball, only to unravel in gut-wrenching fashion.
The 2024 season has been more of the same. Despite an impressive regular-season record and a roster filled with stars like Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Clayton Kershaw (who, by the way, may have reached the end of his illustrious career), the Dodgers are once again failing to live up to the hype when it matters. The rotation, which was supposed to be one of the most dominant in the league, is showing cracks, and the bullpen has failed to provide the kind of consistency that championship teams are built on. At the plate, the Dodgers’ normally potent offense has been streaky, and timely hitting has disappeared in key moments.
This all points to a larger problem—perhaps the most critical one—that goes beyond any individual player or manager. The Dodgers are consistently finding ways to lose in the postseason, and there’s no denying that something needs to change if they want to avoid becoming the next generation’s Atlanta Braves of the 1990s: a team that won plenty of division titles but never truly capitalized on their full potential in the postseason.
**Time for a Shakeup**
It’s clear that this Dodgers team needs a serious overhaul. They have relied too heavily on aging stars and have failed to inject enough youthful energy into the roster. There’s also been a lack of urgency when it comes to adding the final pieces necessary to push this team over the top. A franchise of the Dodgers’ stature should never be content with simply making the playoffs year after year. In this era of unprecedented analytics and financial resources, “good enough” isn’t good enough.
The most obvious place for change begins with the front office. Far too often, the Dodgers have been content with their model of “smart spending” and not enough risk-taking. The team’s over-reliance on advanced metrics, while groundbreaking and smart, has led to a lack of emotional leadership and the kind of fire that can drive a team through tough moments. Sometimes, baseball isn’t just about the numbers—sometimes it’s about who has the guts to rise to the occasion.
Andrew Friedman, the team’s president of baseball operations, has done an admirable job constructing one of the deepest rosters in the league, but his strategy of acquiring established stars and relying on a development system that churns out top-tier talent doesn’t seem to be enough anymore. Perhaps it’s time for a change in approach. Are the Dodgers too content with trying to plug holes with low-risk, high-reward signings? Should the team be looking to make more aggressive moves at the trade deadline or in free agency? And most importantly, do they need a culture shift in the clubhouse?
**Managerial Change: Is Dave Roberts the Answer?**
Then there’s the question of Dave Roberts. The manager who led the Dodgers to their most recent World Series victory in 2020 has become a polarizing figure in recent years. While Roberts is praised for his calm demeanor and ability to handle a star-studded roster, his postseason decisions have raised plenty of eyebrows. Whether it’s mishandling pitchers in high-leverage situations, or not adjusting to the flow of the game when it matters, Roberts’ track record in the postseason is filled with questionable moves that have cost the Dodgers.
Roberts may be a likable figure, but when you’re consistently falling short, it might be time for a fresh voice in the clubhouse. The Dodgers need someone who can inspire the team, rally them when the chips are down, and provide leadership in the most critical moments. A change at the managerial position could be the catalyst for a shift in mentality—a move that sends the message that mediocrity won’t be tolerated anymore.
**A Bold Future Ahead**
As disappointing as it is to admit, the Dodgers have reached a crossroads. Their success in the regular season, while impressive, should no longer be a shield against criticism. They have a core group of players that should be on the brink of something great, but they need new direction, new blood, and new leadership to avoid falling into a cycle of playoff failures.
The 2024 offseason should be about bold moves. The Dodgers need to go all-in, whether that means trading top prospects for an elite pitcher, signing a marquee free agent to solidify their lineup, or making a managerial change. Anything less would be a disservice to the team, to the fans, and to the rich history of the franchise.
The drought is over—for now. But if the Dodgers aren’t careful, they may soon find themselves in the uncomfortable position of being a team of “what could have been.” It’s time for a change. It’s time to embrace a new era of Dodgers baseball—one that can get the team back to where it belongs: on top.
