Best Second Place Team in the MLB

It is 2020. The  Dodgers are 8-4 after nearly 2 weeks of play, and they are in second place.

The front half of the NL West is kind of  stacked. The  Rockies are 8-2, they're killing it. The Padres are 7-5, which is not bad but not as strong as they were. Obviously the D-Backs and Giants aren't as good, but there's more of a ratio than in most divisions [especially the NL Central].

The Dodgers, though, look really damn good this year. Corey Seager and Mookie Betts are off to MONSTER starts, Dustin May and Ross Stripling are making up for the lack of true star power in the rotation this year [though Clayton Kershaw's A material also helps]. Enrique Hernandez, who has cooled down since his awesome first few games, has reclaimed 2nd base from the doubt of Gavin Lux taking it. Pretty much  everybody  is hitting to some  degree, the bullpen works, and the Dodgers, in theory, should have  nothing to worry about.

Except in 2020, they do. The Padres and Rockies are also competing, also have generally good squads, and are right  there with them. For the first time since 2018, where the Dodgers had to fight to squeeze through Arizona and Colorado for the division, the Dodgers aren't expected to waltz to the end. Honestly, it's better for them. Last year, they had next to no competition for the West, went into the playoffs and got clobbered by the Nats in  Game 5. This year, even  if all 3 wind up in the playoffs, which is likely even  this early, the Dodgers might be more ready then they've been  in a  while.

It's just a matter of staying in the race and not letting series' with Colorado and San Diego go the wrong way.

Coming Tonight- He hit the first home run of the 2020 season, and he seems to be  back to his old, power-hitting, staying-healthy self.