LA's bats show true star potential in commanding sweep

LOS ANGELES -- When the Dodgers signed Freddie Freeman in March, the chatter quickly shifted towards people wondering if this lineup was the best ever assembled. All nine starters were expected to have elite seasons, which was always unrealistic.

Through 37 games, the Dodgers have been searching for consistency and their best offensive stretch of the season. That’s a scary thought for opposing teams, considering the Dodgers have a healthy lead in the Majors with 203 runs scored.

The lineup, as many expected, has a chance to be one of the best -- if not the best -- in franchise history. That dominance was on full display during the four-game sweep of the D-backs, which ended with a 5-3 win on Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles, which has won five straight, scored 29 runs during the four-game set against Arizona and 54 in the eight-game homestand.

“Every team you face is a Major League team, but this lineup that you face, there’s no time to take a breath,” said D-backs third baseman Josh Rojas. “You’ve got one through nine are all extremely good hitters, and you have to be locked in for every pitch.”

But while the Dodgers’ offense has been nearly as good as advertised, their production has been spread out in a way that not many expected. We’re starting to get a realistic look at what to expect moving forward and how this lineup has become one of the most dangerous in the Majors.

It all starts at the top
While the Dodgers have plenty of firepower, they’ll go as far as Mookie Betts, Freeman, Trea Turner and Will Smith take them offensively. Betts, Freeman and Turner are three of the best players in baseball. Smith is arguably the best hitting catcher in the Majors.

Of the group, Freeman has been the most consistent hitter this season. The four of them have yet to get hot at the same time, though the Dodgers got a glimpse of what that looks like this week against the D-backs.

Betts and Freeman got the Dodgers on the board right away on Wednesday following a first-inning double and single. That came just 12 hours after Betts, Freeman and Turner combined to score two runs in the first inning in Game 2 of Tuesday’s split doubleheader. In the four games against Arizona, Betts, Freeman and Turner combined for 16 hits. They also drew eight walks.

“This is the first time we’ve seen it,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “Freddie has been consistent all year, but I think he’s even ramped it up another notch. Having Mookie playing the way he’s been playing the last week, and I think Trea has been going well for 10 days. To see what those guys are doing at the top, is pretty special.”

The “other” stars
Despite their struggles so far this season, Justin Turner, Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger would all be hitting near the top of the lineup in most teams around the league. On this team, they’re the bridge between the top four hitters and Chris Taylor and Gavin Lux, who provide solid production down in the bottom of the order.

With that said, however, it might be time to re-adjust the expectations when it comes to Bellinger, Muncy and Turner. They no longer have to carry the offense, they just have to come up big in certain situations.

That's exactly what Turner did on Wednesday, launching the key three-run homer off D-backs starter Zach Davies to cap off the four-run fourth. While his batting average sits at .203, Turner now has 18 RBIs in May.

“It certainly helps to have all those guys in front of you who are great hitters, and it feels like they get on base every single time,” Turner said. “It’s a lot more fun to go up and hit when guys are out there.”

The high-powered offense gave Dodgers starter Walker Buehler plenty to work with. Buehler didn’t have his best command on Wednesday, but he was able to strike out four and allowed just two runs over five innings. Buehler escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth thanks to a pair of strikeouts and a groundout.

Los Angeles relied on its pitching staff for the first 25 games of the season. Over the last two weeks, it’s been the offense leading the way. And the Dodgers still don’t think they’ve reached their peak.

“Our guys, all throughout the lineup, could be top-end guys in any lineup,” Roberts said. “Right now, this is the best we’ve swung the bat as a whole.”