Dodgers enter spring training with the shadow of last year’s title at their back, but a familiar noisy mix persists: injuries to the rotation and bullpen, and an offense that cooled after a scorching first half. With a 68-51 record, they hold a one-game NL West edge on the Padres and project to around 92 wins if the pattern continues.

Monday’s 7-4 loss to the Angels underscored the gaps—Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s rough 4⅔ innings, Angels’ power from Neto and Trout, and a late Muncy blast that wasn’t enough to turn the tide. Two months remain, the grind of schedule heavy with rivalry series, and the defending champs are chasing steadier contributions from atop the rotation and bullpen while hoping to recapture momentum.

The Angels series, combined with the Blue Jays setback from the prior weekend, has the Padres nudging closer in a tight division race. Still, the Dodgers can theoretically win another World Series, but this season’s path has been anything but fun, demanding health, depth, and timely offense in a league that won’t yield a championship without a fight.