When the Dodgers entered Saturday night’s game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, they did so with an MLB-best 99-44 record.

They finished the game with an even better 100-44 record, their fastest to 100 wins in franchise history, surpassing the 1899 and 1953 teams who reached that mark in 147 games.

“Pretty cool,” said Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman when told of their accomplishment after their 7-2 pounding of The Hated Ones. “Just means we’ve got a really good team and we still got some more ways to go.

“Every night we just go out there and try and win a ball game. It is special when you come to the field expecting to win every night. It’s a pretty good feeling,” Freeman added.

This is the second time in franchise history that the Dodgers have reached triple digits in wins in consecutive seasons, joining the 1941 and 1942 Dodgers.

“Obviously, we haven’t really looked at it like that,” Freeman said. “Every night we just go out there and try to win a ballgame. And I think maybe when this is all done, we can take a step back and realize maybe the regular season’s over and we got five days before the playoffs start. But it is special, you know, when you come to the field expecting to win every single night.”

When told that the Dodgers lead the league in runs scored at 5.42 per game and team ERA at 2.81, Freeman smiled and said, “That’s going to get us to 100 wins real fast, huh?”

A huge reason for that runs per game / team ERA thing is due to the incredible season that staff ace (sorry Clayton) Julio Urías is having. The 26-year-old Culiacan, Mexico native allowed only one earned run on five hits in his six innings of work on Saturday to pick up his 17th win of the season (against seven losses) and lower his ERA to a National League-best 2.27.

“If he’s not right there in Cy Young contention, I don’t know what that award would mean,” Freeman said of Urías.

When asked if winning the prestigious award was on his mind, Urías was very clear in his answer.

“No, no. My focus has been start to start,” Urías said through an interpreter. “Focus on the health, focus on being prepared for the next one. Obviously, those numbers are going to speak for themselves when the time comes. But for now, just staying healthy and focusing on my next start.”

As for the Dodgers offense, Saturday’s game was essentially over in the top of the second inning when centerfielder Trayce Thompson slugged his 11th home run of the season, a hefty 421-foot two-run shot to left-center field off of Giants right-hander Sean Hjelle.

“Obviously, the big homer from Trayce got us going, but just to use the big part of the field and not strike out, take walks when given, and just be tough outs,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said postgame of his team’s dominant offense. “We’re gonna hit a home run here and there, but I think that the mindset of having that team offense, you’re more relentless if you can do that.”

Make no mistake about it, the 2022 Dodgers are relentless.

…historically so.

Play Ball!

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