Los Angeles is threading a needle no franchise has attempted: a Cy Young-caliber arm and an MVP bat in the same body, in a pennant race.
Front offices around the league are watching closely, because the outcome here sets the template for how contenders manage talent, cap pressure and expectations over a full season. The margins at the top are thinner than they have been in years.
What it means going forward
The short version: the moves made this summer were not about this season alone. They were about keeping a competitive window open without mortgaging the future — and the first month of games will tell us whether the bet is paying off.