Buck Showalter outlines mindset for taking on Dodgers, reveals what he told Francisco Lindor and Adam Jones

The 2020s so far have undoubtedly belonged to the LA Dodgers. In the last five seasons, LA have won their division, the NL West, four times, and the World Series three times.

On Monday's episode of 'Splash Hit Territory,' former Mets skipper Buck Showalter was asked about what he felt was the key to beating a juggernaut like the Dodgers.

Responding, Showalter claimed the key lied with getting the best out of the team's superstars. Showalter also revealed some advice he gave to the likes of Francisco Lindor and Adam Jones during his time managing the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles respectively.

"You know, one of the keys is your best players have to play the game right," Showalter said (23:46). When I went to New York with (Francisco) Lindor and those guys, I said, 'Listen, you guys got to play the game right, otherwise I'm wasting my time and I'm going to go home. "I used to tell Adam (Jones), 'Adam, you got to go down the line, you gotta do this, you can't just be talking about it, you gotta show them.' I think that's important, that your best players play the game right if you're trying to establish something. Otherwise you're spinning your wheels."

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Dodgers address a major weakness in their squad by signing closer Edwin Diaz

Though the LA Dodgers managed to succeed in their ambitions of securring back-to-back World Series titles in 2025, relief pitching left a lot to be desired.

Looking to shore up their bullpen before going all out for a three-peat in 2026, the organization have brought in one of the best closers in baseball. On Dec. 12, the Dodgers signed Edwin Diaz to a three-year, $69 million contract.

Spending seven seasons with the Mets, Edwin Diaz established himself as one of the best in the business, earning three All-Star selections, while also being named the reliever of the year thrice.

2025 MLB All-Star Game: Red Carpet - Source: Getty

Though Edwin Diaz's contract with the Mets ran through 2027, the closer decided to opt out of the final two years of his deal in an effort to secure a better offer as a free agent.

Edited by Raghav Mehta