The Dodgers' lineup has been rated powerful enough to be compared to the United States team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
The Los Angeles-area U.S. outlet LA Times recently highlighted the Dodgers' offense and posed the question, "Which lineup would you choose?" It compared the WBC U.S. team's top lineup, composed of Bobby Witt Jr., Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, and Kyle Schwarber, with the Dodgers' lineup that continues with Ohtani Shohei, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.
The WBC U.S. team at the time boasted such a dazzling roster that it was called the "greatest dream team ever." But the outlet evaluated that the current Dodgers lineup is at a level that does not fall short of that.
The Dodgers have shown overwhelming offense from the start of this season. They are leading Major League Baseball with a 9-3 record in the first 12 games since the opener, and rank first in the league in team batting average (.287), home runs (21), and OPS (.841).
In particular, that OPS figure is at the same level as the performance Kyle Tucker recorded last year, which essentially means the entire lineup is producing at an All-Star level. Of course, it will not be easy to maintain throughout the season, but the Dodgers also ranked first in the National League last year with a team OPS of .768.
Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez praised on social media, "The best Dodgers team I have seen," and said, "The lineup is completely stacked." Manager Dave Roberts also expressed confidence, saying, "I would pick our team to face anyone."
Lineup depth is also a point of comparison. The Dodgers boast a solid composition down the lineup with Will Smith, Max Muncy, Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages, Miguel Rojas, and others. Meanwhile, the WBC U.S. team filled its lower lineup with star players such as Alex Bregman, Roman Anthony, Bryce Turang, and Byron Buxton.
Will Smith, who has experienced both lineups, recalled, "The national team felt like an All-Star team made up of the best players at each position."
An interesting comparison also appears in performance indicators. The WBC U.S. team recorded five MVPs and 28 All-Star selections, while the Dodgers actually boast higher numbers with six MVPs and 33 All-Star selections.
Dodgers third-base coach Dino Ebel also said, "Throwing batting practice to the national team's lineup felt similar to the Dodgers lineup I see every day," and evaluated, "From No. 1 to No. 9, we could compete comfortably."
There is also a perspective from a player not affiliated with the Dodgers. Toronto Blue Jays infielder and former WBC U.S. team member Ernie Clement said, "It's not easy to directly compare a WBC team and a major league team," but added, "The Dodgers are a team that knows how to win even when they are not perfect."
He also added, "The national team plays short-term games and does not go through the flow of an entire season. By contrast, the Dodgers are different in that core players who have been together for a long time are at the center."
The Dodgers lineup is a collection of world-class stars centered on Ohtani. They have also drawn attention as symbols of the financial gap within Major League Baseball alongside massive investments. In fact, the aggregate contract value of the Dodgers' top four batters reaches $1.5 billion.
Based on this strength, the outlet even suggested the idea of an All-Star game pitting the Dodgers against the rest of the teams.
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