Would Dodgers Still Be World Series Favorites Without Shohei Ohtani?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a powerhouse in MLB and the odds-on favorite to win the World Series by quite a margin. The Dodgers spent millions upon millions of dollars to assemble a roster with immense talent, hoping to raise their floor and establish a solid base of wins. However, no matter how much money they spent and the quality of depth that they acquire, the Dodgers are just as prone to injuries and bad luck as any other team in baseball.
FanGraphs, via one of their mailbags, explored injuries to key players on the team and how vulnerable the Dodgers would be if those players missed the season. Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) during the World Series championship parade and celebration. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images What if Shohei Ohtani missed the season?
Ohtani is the best player on the Dodgers, hands down, and he offers so much value up and down the order, in terms of flat-out production in both pitching and hitting, but also in his speed on the bases and the fear that hitters have. Per Dan Szymboroski of FanGraphs, however, Ohtani’s absence from the Dodgers would not be enough to take away the World Series favorite crown from Los Angeles; in fact, they would still win the division. “Losing Ohtani alone isn’t actually enough to cripple the Dodgers, even with how good he is, because the Ohtani-less Dodgers are still an 88- to 90-win team,” Szymboroski wrote.
“That’s enough to be the strongest team in the division by the projections. The Dodgers currently lead the NL West by a couple of games, and while that cushion is not an insurmountable barrier, it still keeps them as heavy favorites to win the division and one of the two teams most likely to secure a bye. ” Ohtani’s impact goes beyond what projections can account for, with the psychological toll of losing the team’s best player pronounced.
However, the Dodgers have the pitchers to cover for his loss in the rotation, and in the lineup, there is still enough star power to get over the line with the quality of pitching. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation) Losing Ohtani and Yamamoto The calculus changes for the Dodgers if Ohtani and Yamamoto miss time. They would be lacking their true ace in Yamamoto, a workhorse who is so effective and reliable, with quality stuff and consistent command.