The Chicago White Sox are well under .500, owning one of the worst records in all of Major League Baseball.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have the third-best record in MLB and have won nine of their last 10 games.
Needless to say, starting pitcher Lance Lynn is happy to be on the latter.
The Dodgers traded for the 36-year-old a couple days before the Aug. 1 trade deadline, sending Trayce Thompson, Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure for Lynn and reliever Joe Kelly.
Since the trade, Lynn has gone 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA and a 5.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He said that he has seen a revitalization of his career in Southern California.
"You're seeing why everyone wants to come here," Lynn said. "Even watching them from across the field, playing against them so much in the playoffs from my time in St. Louis, you just notice this sense of urgency. They're ready to go, ready to contribute, with veteran guys letting the young guys be themselves, but helping them along the way."
(Via USA TODAY)
The Dodgers are chock-full of young players who have stepped up this season. Starting pitcher Bobby Miller has worked his way to a sub-4.00 ERA and a 6-2 record as a starter. James Outman has been effective in the outfield with a .257 batting average and 14 home runs.
But it's the Dodger veterans who have been the cornerstone of this 2023 team, which manager Dave Roberts called the "favorite team I've ever had."
Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are both having MVP-caliber seasons while continuing to be a big part of the Dodgers' recent success. From Chicago to Los Angeles, Lynn is happy to be playing on a winning team.
"They just play the game hard. They play the game right. And, man, do they win," Lynn said. "This is everything I thought it would be playing here. Really, it's like a rebirth for me. It's unbelievable, really."
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