DODGERS AND PADRES SET TO DUKE IT OUT FOR HEAVYWEIGHT CROWN

1 LOS ANGELES DODGERS

O/U WINS: 102.5

PLAYER WHO’LL NEED TO STEP UP: Kenley Jansen has been the Dodgers’ closer for the last nine seasons, but it was Julio Urias who manager Dave Roberts trusted to close out the last game of the World Series in October. While Roberts has already tabbed Jansen as his closer this year, he’ll certainly be in the spotlight once again. NAME YOU’LL GET TO KNOW: After playing in a combined 42 big league games over the last two seasons, Gavin Lux appears to be ready to take on an everyday role with the Dodgers. The highly regarded infield prospect has crushed minor league pitching and now will get a chance to do it as part of a stacked lineup in the big leagues. BIGGEST QUESTION MARK: The last time MLB had back-toback World Series champs was the Yankees’ three-peat in 1998-2000. Since then, only one defending champ has even made it back to the World Series the next year. Can the Dodgers avoid the championship hangover that others have struggled with? HOW IT’LL GO DOWN: On paper, the Dodgers have all the pieces to run it back. After adding Bauer to join Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler as top-line starters, the rotation is so deep that David Price ended up in the bullpen, at least to start the season. The lineup lost Enrique Hernandez and Joc Pederson, but otherwise reloaded after leading the league in runs per game. Barring injuries or a serious hangover, the Dodgers should be right back in the postseason come October, though they could get a real challenge from the Padres for the division title. PROJECTED LINEUP RF Mookie Betts SS Corey Seager 3B Justin Turner CF Cody Bellinger C Will Smith 1B Max Muncy LF AJ Pollock 2BGavinLux ROTATION LHP Clayton Kershaw RHP Trevor Bauer RHP Walker Buehler LHP Julio Urias RHP Dustin May

KEY PLAYER: Trevor Bauer. After landing Mookie Betts as their offseason prize last year, the Dodgers pulled off another huge move by signing the reigning NL Cy Young winner to a three-year, $102 million deal. Now all eyes will be on how the marriage unfolds.