At the midpoint of the 2025 MLB season, ESPN’s David Schoenfield named the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup potentially the best in franchise history — powered by Shohei Ohtani, who continues to defy logic and numbers.
With a team wRC+ of 124, the Dodgers are outpacing even their most potent lineups of the past. The top of the order is downright terrifying: Ohtani leads off, followed by Freddie Freeman (the National League’s top hitter for average), on-base king Will Smith, and slugger Mookie Betts. From top to bottom, the lineup boasts a mix of power, plate discipline, and elite balance from both sides of the plate.
Los Angeles Dodgers Lineup Hits #1, Despite One Slumping Member
But even the most dominant forces have cracks, and for L.A., that crack is Michael Conforto.
Signed in free agency, Conforto has been a disappointment. Through nearly every game played, he’s slashing just .170 with four home runs — a stark contrast to the MVP-level production around him. Schoenfield labeled Conforto the lineup’s “one weakness,” an outlier in an otherwise unstoppable batting order.
Still, the Dodgers have taken steps to improve depth. They parted ways with longtime veterans Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes and promoted Hyeseong Kim and top prospect Dalton Rushing. Kim has been a revelation, hitting .382 in his first 30 games, while Rushing is gaining experience behind the plate.
The engine driving it all, though, is Ohtani. His seven first-inning homers and 73 runs scored in just 72 games have him on pace for a staggering 164 runs — a mark surpassed only by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig since 1900, according to ESPN. With Ohtani returning to the mound this week, his two-way brilliance may elevate the Dodgers even further.
Even with one cold bat, this lineup is scorching.