Dodgers: The 2019 Dodgers as Avengers Characters
With the release of Avengers Endgame, we thought it’d be appropriate to have a little bit of fun. Let us take a look at what current Dodgers are as Avengers.
This list will take a look at which superheroes from Marvel some Dodger players are in my eyes. Before we get into the big five Avengers, here are a few Dodgers and Dodger affiliates best match-up with a current Avenger. Feel free to comment below which superhero you think best fits with your favorite Dodgers.
Nick Fury: Dave Roberts
This one was a simple choice. Fury is sort of like the manager of the Avengers.
Captain Marvel: Alanna Rizzo
Alanna has become a staple for the Dodgers. Players and fans love her. She deserves a mention here because of her contribution to the organization. Also just like Captain Marvel, Alanna Rizzo kicks butt!
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Orel Hershiser and Joe Davis
Much like Ant-Man and the wasp, these two aren’t the first people you think about when you think of the Dodgers. Nonetheless, they are important to the enjoyment of the team. Hershiser and Davis have a chemistry unlike any other in the booth. To go from Vin Scully to these two is an absolute blessing for fans.
Black Widow: Enrique Hernandez
The similarities are pretty simple to see here. Hernandez is an underrated member of the Dodgers. Much like Black Widow, he does so many things well. Yes, he isn’t as big of a name as some of the other players but without him, this team is not as strong.
Spider-Man: Alex Verdugo
Young, Comedic, Athletic, Charismatic, and Energetic. All of these words describe both Spider-Man and the 22-year-old Verdugo. Verdugo has stormed onto the scene in his first full campaign with the Dodgers. In limited time, Verdugo has posted a .352/.375/.685 slash line.
More impressively, as of writing, this Verdugo leads the team in OPS (1.714) against LHP. Albeit, in a very limited sample size. However, this is still very impressive for the former top prospect. His defense was never a question and his glove has continued to be a strong suit.
Adding consistent production at the plate will force Doc’s hand into giving him more playing time. Especially with Chris Taylor struggling at the dish, Verdugo should continue to see more and more opportunities to play.
Verdugo is young but has shown that his skills are more than comparable to the rest of the team. You can tell how much fun he is having on the field. Just like you can hear how much fun Spider-Man has while fighting and he’s making all of those witty comments.
Spider-Man may never be the leader of the Avenger but he is the sparkplug and important to get the team going. The same can be said about Verdugo. He may never be “the guy” on the team with the likes of Bellinger, Buehler, and Seager on the roster, but Verdugo is a key piece to the team and the future of the team.
Hulk: Joc Pederson/ Max Muncy
This decision was tough, so I have opted to have two Hulks. I know this is cheating, but both players have qualities similar to that of Hulk.
First off Max Muncy. His ease to hit balls over the fence reminds me of Hulk’s ease of throwing people around. His power is indisputable and he does it in such an easy way. Muncy looks smooth and does not even look like he is trying that hard. Yet he still MASHES baseballs.
This season Muncy is off to an average start. As expected, Muncy has regressed some. Some regression was to be expected after the monster year he had last season. His chase percentages are slightly up along with his strikeout rate. He still has that raw power and can become something close to what he was last season if he is able to tighten up his approach.
Joc reminds me of Hulk for a different reason. This is because there are two sides to Joc much like Hulk. Sometimes Joc looks absolutely horrendous. That would be Joc as Bruce Banner. Then if he gets hot he can be the most dangerous player in that lineup. That would be Joc with his Hulk mode activated.
Joc is hot and cold. He started the season off with a bang. Pederson had 7 hits and 3 home runs over the first 3 games of the season. Then Joc would go for 1 for 23 over the next 8 games he played. That seems to be a trend in his career. He always goes on a tear, then hits a heavy slump. Hopefully, Joc can be Hulk more often than he is Bruce Banner for the remainder of the 2019 season.
Thor: Cody Bellinger
They both can carry the team when they are needed. Perhaps, they aren’t the leader of the team but can arguably be viewed as the most important piece of their teams. Also much like Thor’s hammer, Cody’s bat needs to be feared if you are on the opposing team.
Secondly, it is widely accepted that they are the best looking members of their teams. Of course some people have their different preferences, but personally, I am a Thor and Cody guy when it comes to who I think is the best looking.
In case you have been living under a rock (or run the MLB twitter account) you know that Cody Bellinger is off to the best start in baseball. Everyone in the mainstream media is enamored with what Christian Yelich is doing, but Cody is having just as good of a season, if not better. Anyways, Cody is having what looks like the start to a career year.
Bellinger has made some minor changes to his approach and stance. This has clearly worked out for the best. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Cody, is also probably the best defensive right fielder in baseball. You can also make the case that he is the best defensive first basemen in baseball. He is a special talent. Sometimes, I actually think he is a God like Thor.
Iron Man: Justin Turner
After being “kidnapped” by the Mets, JT was able to escape and make his way to Los Angeles. This was thanks to a revamped approach at the plate (suit). He is Iron Man. Thanks to this “suit” he was able to make his way into becoming a giant star.
That my friends, is the story of Justin Turner and why he fits perfectly with being Iron Man. If he was never able to create that top-level approach and swing, he is not even a thought in the minds of Dodger fans. However, he did do that and now he is one of the most important and beloved members of this team.
We all know the Justin Turner story by now. He was a career utility player. Then he was non-tendered by New York in 2013. That opened the door for the Dodgers to sign him in 2014. He would serve a similar role with Los Angeles at first. Then he forced his way into an everyday role and the rest is history.
Justin Turner has gotten off to a slow start in 2019. Hopefully, things will begin to change. Turner will be a big piece for the Dodgers if they want to make yet another deep playoff run. He also hit the two of the most clutch postseason home runs since Kirk Gibson’s infamous home run.
Captain America: Clayton Kershaw
Last but definitely not least is Clayton Kershaw as Captain America. Kershaw is the leader of this team. He is also the longest tenured Dodger, so you can call him the “First Dodger”. Just like Captain America is known as the “First Avenger”.
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I wish I had a cool story to link the two together but the reasoning behind this is quite simple. He is the leader of this team. Aside from being great on the “battlefield” he also does great things beyond the field. With his foundation, he has touched the lives of many.
Much like Captain America, Kershaw has had to change with the times. No longer can Kershaw rely heavily on his 94-96 MPH fastball. He now is sitting 90-92 on good nights. His velocity has dipped significantly, but he has still been the ace of this staff early on in the season. Kershaw has been terrific in his 2 starts this season.
Clayton has had some health issues, but when healthy he has always been productive. Kershaw helps set the tone for the rest of the team. He does exactly what a leader needs to do. On days that he is not going to “battle” he is able to keep the team loose, but when he is pitching he is locked in.
After failing to defeat Thanos (AL Champion) the 2019 Avengers (Dodgers) are looking to finally get their long-awaited victory to help save planet earth (sad Dodger fans). Kershaw is back and ready to lead the assembled Dodgers.