NEW YORK — The Dodgers walked back into Yankee Stadium this weekend for the first time since celebrating a World Series championship on this field two years ago. There were familiar faces in the visiting clubhouse. Mookie Betts. Freddie Freeman. Shohei Ohtani. Dave Roberts.
There were also plenty of new ones.
That's the reality of a team built to contend every season. Rosters change. Championships become memories. New expectations replace old celebrations.
The Dodgers left the Bronx on Sunday night for a two-hour bus ride to Philadelphia after taking two of three games from the Yankees. They hold the best record in baseball and a commanding 12-game lead in the National League West. As impressive as they have been through the first four months of the season, everyone inside the organization knows this isn't the team they'll take into October.
The Dodgers aren't trying to peak in July.
They're trying to assemble the most dangerous roster in baseball by the time the postseason begins.
That has been the balancing act for Roberts throughout the season. Every decision has been made with October in mind, even if it means sacrificing a few starts or a few games in the middle of summer.
No player embodies that philosophy more than Ohtani.
The reigning MVP returned to the top of the Dodgers' lineup after missing the All-Star Game to receive treatment for inflammation in his left knee. While he remains one of baseball's most feared hitters, the Dodgers are pressing pause on his return to the mound.
Roberts announced before Sunday's doubleheader against the Yankees that Ohtani would not make his scheduled start Wednesday in Philadelphia and acknowledged the timeline is open-ended. The Dodgers simply aren't willing to risk turning a manageable issue into something more serious.
"The elephant in the room is Shohei's not going to start on Wednesday," Roberts said. "We just want to continue to give it the best chance."
Roberts explained the problem isn't Ohtani's swing. It's the torque created when he lands on his left leg during his pitching delivery. Rather than push through discomfort in late July, the Dodgers are choosing patience.
"We've done many times over, erring on the side of caution," Roberts said.
It's difficult to argue with the approach.
The Dodgers aren't fighting to stay in the playoff race. They're comfortably atop the division. Every game matters, but not nearly as much as having Ohtani healthy enough to pitch meaningful innings in October.
The same philosophy applies across the roster.
Blake Snell has been sidelined since May with loose bodies in his left elbow but has already begun his rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City and is expected back next month.
Tyler Glasnow continues progressing from lower back spasms and has resumed throwing bullpen sessions.
Three-time Reliever of the Year Edwin Díaz is nearing his return after making rehab appearances following surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow.
Blake Treinen has resumed throwing after dealing with elbow inflammation.
Kiké Hernández has started his rehab assignment after recovering from an oblique strain.
Will Smith remains out with neck inflammation, but the organization continues to believe he'll return before the postseason.
Individually, each injury is significant.
Collectively, they represent something else entirely.
The Dodgers aren't waiting on role players. They're waiting on frontline starters, elite relievers, an All-Star catcher and one of the most valuable utility players in baseball. These are players who have already proven they can perform under the brightest lights. Many of them were instrumental in bringing two consecutive World Series championships to Los Angeles.
That perspective also explains why the Dodgers aren't expected to stand pat before the trade deadline.
Detroit ace Tarik Skubal has emerged as perhaps the biggest name available, and it would surprise no one if the Dodgers become one of the most aggressive teams pursuing him. Skubal has established himself as one of baseball's elite starters, winning back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards while consistently ranking among the game's most dominant pitchers.
For most organizations, adding a pitcher like Skubal would be about getting into the postseason.
For the Dodgers, it would be about making sure nobody wants to face them once they get there.
Imagine a postseason rotation featuring Yamamoto, Skubal, Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani if he's able to return to pitching. Even if Ohtani's role winds up being limited, that's a group capable of overwhelming any opponent in a short series.
The Dodgers have never hidden their ambitions. Winning another division title isn't the goal. Winning another 100 games isn't the goal. Making history is the goal.
No team has won three consecutive World Series championships since the Yankees completed their dynasty a quarter century ago. The Dodgers believe they have a chance to become the next.
That urgency is heightened by the uncertainty surrounding baseball's labor situation after this season. There is a real possibility that a work stoppage could interrupt the momentum of a franchise built to dominate this era.
The Dodgers understand windows don't stay open forever, even for organizations with seemingly unlimited resources.
That's why they're willing to wait a little longer for Ohtani. That's why they're taking no unnecessary risks with Snell, Glasnow, Díaz and the rest of their injured stars. And that's why they could still make one of the biggest trades of the summer before the deadline.
The Dodgers who walked out of Yankee Stadium this weekend are already the best team in baseball.
The Dodgers who could walk into October might be even better.
That's the team Roberts is trying to build.