The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the throws of a division race. The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres are knocking down the door in the National League West and threatening to take the crown from the Dodgers. To hold them off, they will need breakout Septembers from multiple depth pieces.
While Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman provide the best three-headed monster in the league, there are important pieces below them. How can Max Muncy, Gavin Stone, and Tommy Edman break out in the final month to clinch the division title for the Dodgers?
Max Muncy must surge after return from injury
Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy has only played 48 games this season due to injuries. Muncy's oblique issue is now in the past and he has been solid since his return. He is hitting .250 with two homers and three doubles in seven games since his return on August 19. Enrique Hernandez was playing in his spot for most of his absence and he is hitting .217 in 102 games.
Muncy should take a massive step forward in September. Once he shakes off the cobwebs, he can become the player fans are used to, a regular 2o home run hitter who has had an OPS+ of over 100 in six of the last seven seasons. With Freddie Freeman's recent injury, he will plug into the middle of the order and carry the Dodgers to a division title.
Gavin Stone will lead Dodgers' rotation
The Dodgers' pitching staff has been a big issue for the team this year. Injuries from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Clayton Kershaw have left them without any of the star aces they thought they'd have. In their absences, Gavin Stone has stepped up. He has quietly picked up 11 wins with a 3.33 ERA in a team-high 24 starts.
Stone can be a player who pops in September just by continuing his excellent play. With more attention headed the Dodgers' way in a division race, he could become a household name by the time the playoffs roll around. He will likely not be leaned on heavily in the postseason because of the star power ahead of him, so he might make some extra appearances in the final month.
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Tommy Edman becomes a Hollywood star
Finally, a trade deadline acquisition could be a playoff hero for the Dodgers. Tommy Edman made his way to Los Angeles from the St Louis Cardinals and has already made an impact. He has played seven games between center field and shortstop and is hitting .231 in those appearances. One of his six hits was a triple in Tuesday's game against the Orioles, showing why he is a breakout candidate.
Edman provides a speed element that the Dodgers do not have outside of him. Ohtani and Betts are the only players with over ten steals this season. Edman has over 27 steals in each of the last three seasons. If he can get on the bases, he provides an element that no other depth pieces give. He was also a gold glove winner at second base in 2021, a position that Gavin Lux has not thrived at this season.
There will be bright lights on the stars in Hollywood this September as the Dodgers look to finish off an NL West title. If they are going to get back to the World Series for the fourth time in the last decade, Max Muncy, Gavin Stone, and Tommy Edman must be breakout stars in September and October.
