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It seems like, for much of the 2026 season, the top question in the National League -- and Major League Baseball as a whole, really -- has been: Who are...
Key points
- It seems like, for much of the 2026 season, the top question in the National League -- and Major League Baseball as a whole, really -- has been: Who are the biggest threats to the Los Angeles Dodgers?
- The teams in that category as we come out of the All-Star break and enter the second half of the season: the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.
- Philadelphia Phillies Potential Needs: Starting pitching, bullpen help, right-handed outfielder (maybe) The Phillies desire rotation help in order to get to the playoffs, not necessarily out of a need for another pitcher to start a postseason game -- although, an additional October arm would be just fine with them.
- Chicago Cubs Potential Needs: Top-end starter, bullpen help Injuries have taken a toll on Chicago, but the walking wounded have begun to return.
What happened
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It seems like, for much of the 2026 season, the top question in the National League -- and Major League Baseball as a whole, really -- has been: Who are the biggest threats to the Los Angeles Dodgers? The teams in that category as we come out of the All-Star break and enter the second half of the season: the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. Philadelphia Phillies Potential Needs: Starting pitching, bullpen help, right-handed outfielder (maybe) The Phillies desire rotation help in order to get to the playoffs, not necessarily out of a need for another pitcher to start a postseason game -- although, an additional October arm would be just fine with them. Chicago Cubs Potential Needs: Top-end starter, bullpen help Injuries have taken a toll on Chicago, but the walking wounded have begun to return. That doesn't mean the Cubs have enough six-to-seven-inning, playoff-caliber starters in the rotation, so piecing together enough pitching for four rounds of the postseason -- including a series against the Dodgers -- will be extremely hard for them as constituted. Atlanta Braves Potential Needs: Playoff-caliber starter, hitting depth, bullpen help...