Best record

The Dodgers head in to the all-star break (half way point) as the best team in baseball. They have a record of 60 wins 32 losses. The next team even close is the Yankees with a record of 57 wins and 31 losses. And the Yankees are in the American League. The next closest record in the national league is the Braves with 54 wins and 37 losses. So, you can see the Dodgers have been significantly better than the other teams both the American and National league. 

MVP frontrunner

Cody Bellinger is the current front runner for the National league most valuable player. It is a close race between Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich who plays right field for the Brewers. Their numbers are extremely close and are 1^st 2^nd or 3^rd in all major categories like Batting average, Slugging %, On-base%, Homeruns, and OPS. There are a few factors like Yelich has more stolen bases by 11, but Cody leads all of baseball in defensive runs saved. So, they are very evenly matched, and it will be an exciting race between the two players in the second half of the season. 

Best Starting Pitching

The Dodgers starting pitching has been the best in the league the first half of the season.  A big reason the Dodgers have had such great starting pitching is they have been healthy and have pitched deep into games. Ryu is a Cy Young candidate and has an ERA under 2. Ryu will start the All-Star game for how well he has pitched so far this year. Kershaw and Buehler have been good so far this year, but they can be so much better, so the second half is looking good for the Dodgers. Rich Hill is hurt and could miss most of the season, which will open the door for Julio Urias to start games. Urias and Buehler are the future of the Dodgers.  

Weakness

The Dodgers do have one weakness that needs to be addressed before the playoffs. The Dodgers bullpen has been a letdown so far this year. To be successful in the playoffs a reliable bullpen is a must. The Dodgers have a few bullpen relievers who have gone down with injuries and others that have taken a while to get going. There is Kenley Jansen who has been good but not great and Joe Kelly the big free agent has not been what the Dodgers expected yet. The trade deadline is coming up and the Dodgers have a few bullpen pieces they are wanting to trade for. I think trading for someone like Brad Hand from the Indians or Will Smith from the Giants would be the perfect fit. A veteran left handed reliever will be exactly what the Dodgers need to complete their bullpen. 

Division

The Dodgers lead their division by 13.5 games over the Dbacks, Padres, Rockies and Giants. It is looking good that the Dodgers will win the division for the 7^th straight season in a row. The ultimate is goal is to get back to the World Series and win but have to start with winning the division first. The Dodgers have had a great 1^st half of the season and have work to do to finish the season with a World Series championship.