Trayce Thompson, Freddie Freeman, and more deep dives into this year’s Dodgers

Baseball writers had plenty to say about the Dodgers during the long gap between games, and why shouldn’t they? This year’s team is a mix of predictable success and unheard-of consistency, of routine systems that are firing on all cylinders and the magic of everything falling into place. Here are some of the best longform features, bits of analysis, and insights we saw while we waited for baseball to return to the Ravine. Tear through them while you wait for tonight’s game or bookmark them for an off-day baseball fix.

Dodgers Links

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman caught the attention of Tyler Kepner at the New York Times, who tracks Friedman’s success from Tampa Bay to Los Angeles and shows us a glimpse of what’s yet to come for the exec.

Manny Randhawa at MLB.com gives at position-by-position breakdown of the Dodgers and Padres, giving L.A. a clear edge in the series.

It’s no secret that Freddie Freeman had an emotional first season with the Dodgers. Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic takes us deep inside Freeman’s “rollercoaster” ride and the strong connections he’s already made with his new teammates.

Dodgers come and go, but the team’s success stays the same, writes Zach Kram at The Ringer. So, where exactly is all their power and production coming from this season?

Trayce Thompson comes from a long line of NBA stars, but he’s carving out some spotlight for himself during his breakout season with the Dodgers, writes Joseph Bien-Kahn at GQ.

And, last but certainly not least, Jorge Castillo and Steve Saldivar at the Los Angeles Times serenade us with the story of how the mariachi band in the right-field pavilion came to be and what its presence has meant for the Dodgers’ fan base.