The 2017 Dodgers Are Setting a New Standard for the National League West

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For as long as I can remember, the Dodgers and the Giants have been fighting for first place in the National League West. I’ve grown up with the certainty that as good as the Dodgers are, the Giants will always be close behind, but that is simply no longer true. The 2017 Dodgers have proven that they are the team to beat not only in the West but all of baseball.

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Dodgers Activate Chris Hatcher, Option Kyle Farmer to Oklahoma City

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(Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports)

The Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday reinstated right-handed pitcher Chris Hatcher from the 10-day disabled list and optioned catcher/infielder Kyle Farmer to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

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Dodgers Prospect Watch: Rios, Locastro, Ramos, Buehler & More

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(Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri/USA TODAY Sports)

In  this latest installment of our weekly Dodgers prospect watch feature, we decided to take a look at a handful of youngsters who were able to earn promotions across at least one level of the farm system this season. And, coincidentally enough, by some standards, all five are not terribly far away from making their respective big league debuts.

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Dodgers Injury Notes: Kershaw, González, Ethier, Dayton & More

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(Mandatory Credit: Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press)

While most of the recent injury news surrounding the Dodgers has been centered around the prospective return of staff ace Clayton Kershaw, there are a few other players close to activation who may impact the squad down the stretch of the season — most specifically veterans Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier.

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Finally, the Dodgers Are Built to Win a World Series

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(Mandatory Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Last year, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time in 108 years. Last year, they proved that they were a force to be reckoned with. They were the best team in baseball, but a lot can change in a year. The Cubs are still strong — there is no doubt about that — but ask any baseball fan and they’ll tell you that this year the best team in the bigs is not the World Champion Cubs, but rather the Boys out West. This year, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the best team in baseball. This year, they’ve become one of the best teams in the history of the game.

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Dodgers Roster: Let’s Talk a Little More About Alex Verdugo

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(Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Davis)

Amid a rough point of offensive woes, every time Joc Pederson begins to drift into the doghouse of the Dodgers fan base, he seemingly does just enough to slide back into good graces for just a little while longer. Wednesday night was no different, as Pederson and right fielder Yasiel Puig were the offensive catalysts in what turned out to be a 3-2 victory in the middle contest of a three-game series against the Diamondbacks in Arizona.

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Dodgers Have Absolutely No Reason to Rush Clayton Kershaw’s Return

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(Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)

With each passing day, it seems as if more positive news surfaces regarding the improvement of staff ace Clayton Kershaw‘s back injury. Yet regardless of how hard the three-time NL Cy Young award winner pushes for a return to the active roster, the Dodgers have hardly any rationale at all to warrant a speedy return to the team.

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Dodgers Roster Expansion: What to Expect in Early September

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(Mandatory Credit: Ross D. Franklin/AP)

In just a little over three weeks, many rosters across baseball will be expanding in size as allowed by MLB regulations, and the Dodgers will presumably be seeing quite a few additions to the active squad. Many fans are vaguely familiar with the methodology, as there are a few who admittedly don’t know the finer details of the whole process. Yet those folks can remain at ease, because we’re conveniently here to shine a little light on some of the rules and make a few predictions as to which players will be (re)joining the team.

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How Long Will the Monumental Pace Continue?

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Remember April? That 10-12 record the Dodgers owned? Yeah, about that. At this point, that month was just a blip on the radar. A slow start for the Engine that Could, and an Engine that now that it has gotten going, seems difficult to stop.

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Dodgers Prospect Watch: Wilmer Font, Henry Ramos, Matt Beaty & More

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(Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Davis)

With all the emphasis on the non-waiver trade deadline recently, it’s been a few weeks since we’ve checked in on any of the happenings within the Dodgers farm system. Triple-A Oklahoma City is holding steady in second place in the PCL American Northern division, while Double-A Tulsa is clawing away at a potential playoff appearance in the Texas League. High-A Rancho Cucamonga continues to lead the way in the Cal League South, appearing to be destined for a postseason run fueled by several powerful bats. And there have been more than a handful of individual performances lately that are certainly worth mentioning.

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