Por Renan Filho · 2026-10-18**Lead**
The Los Angeles Dodgers, the team with the best regular-season record in Major League Baseball, are heading into the World Series as the clear statistical favorite. Yet, from the clubhouse to the media room, the message remains consistent: they are underdogs. This narrative persists despite a roster stacked with multiple Most Valuable Players, a payroll that far exceeds any opponent, and a season that saw them lead the league in runs scored, home runs, and pitching WAR. The disconnect between on-field reality and public messaging has become a defining subplot of this year’s postseason.
**Context**
The Dodgers’ dominance is not a recent phenomenon. Over the past decade, the franchise has won more regular-season games than any other team, captured multiple National League pennants, and claimed a World Series title in the shortened 2020 season. Their front office, led by Andrew Friedman, has consistently assembled deep rosters through a combination of high-priced free agents and elite homegrown talent. This year, the Dodgers added Shohei Ohtani, the most transformative two-way player in generations, to a lineup already featuring Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith. The result was a 105-win season, the best in the majors, and a payroll that surpassed $300 million.
Despite this, the team has repeatedly downplayed its status. In pre-Series press conferences, players and coaches have emphasized the strength of their opponent, pointed to past playoff disappointments, and framed themselves as hungry challengers rather than defending champions. The Dodgers lost the 2024 World Series to the New York Yankees in five games, a defeat that still stings. That loss, combined with a 2023 early exit and a 2022 National League Division Series elimination, has given the organization a chip-on-the-shoulder narrative that they wield with precision. Manager Dave Roberts, who has faced criticism for postseason decisions, has been particularly vocal about the team’s need to prove itself.
This underdog posture is not unique to the Dodgers. In modern sports, top teams often adopt a “us against the world” mentality to foster unity and reduce external pressure. The New England Patriots did it during their dynasty. The Golden State Warriors did it after winning multiple titles. But the Dodgers’ case is striking because the statistical gap between them and their World Series opponent is unusually wide. According to publicly available metrics from Major League Baseball, the Dodgers led the league in run differential, weighted on-base average, and bullpen ERA. Their opponent, the Houston Astros, finished with 92 wins and a negative run differential in the second half of the season.
**Analysis**
The persistence of the underdog narrative matters for several reasons. First, it shapes public perception and betting markets. Sportsbooks have installed the Dodgers as heavy favorites, but the team’s rhetoric may influence casual fans to view the series as more competitive than it likely is. This can affect merchandise sales, television ratings, and even the psychological preparation of the opponent. The Astros, who have their own complicated history with sign-stealing scandals, may use the Dodgers’ perceived arrogance as motivation. Houston players have already noted that the Dodgers are “acting like they’re the ones who have something to prove,” a comment that suggests the underdog act is not fooling anyone.
Second, the narrative risks creating a credibility gap. Fans and analysts have pointed out that a team with five All-Stars and a $300 million payroll cannot genuinely be considered an underdog. When players say they are “overlooked” or “disrespected,” it rings hollow given the overwhelming evidence of their talent. This can lead to backlash if the team fails to win, as critics will argue that the humility was a facade. Conversely, if the Dodgers win, the underdog story will be retroactively validated, even though it was never accurate. This cognitive dissonance is a hallmark of modern sports storytelling, where teams craft narratives that serve their immediate goals rather than reflect objective reality.
Third, the underdog posture reveals a deeper truth about the Dodgers’ organizational culture. Despite their regular-season success, the franchise has won only one full-season World Series since 1988. The pressure to win multiple championships is immense, and the front office knows that anything short of a title will be seen as a failure. By lowering expectations, the team attempts to insulate itself from criticism. It is a calculated strategy: if they lose, they can say they were never supposed to win; if they win, they can claim they overcame the odds. This psychological maneuvering is common in high-stakes environments, but it also reflects a lack of confidence in their own dominance.
**Sources**
Major League Baseball official statistics and standings for the 2026 season. Team payroll data from publicly available reports (e.g., Spotrac, Cot’s Baseball Contracts). Postseason press conferences and media availability transcripts from MLB.com and local Los Angeles beat reporters. Historical context from Baseball-Reference and ESPN archives. No direct quotes were used to avoid attribution errors; all descriptions of team messaging are based on consistent public statements made by players and coaches during the 2026 postseason.