The Los Angeles Dodgers are packing their bags for a six-game road trip to kick off May, heading first to St. Louis and then Houston. After a well-deserved Thursday off, the team is ready to get back on the diamond.

First up, a three-game series at Busch Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals starting Friday. Then it's off to Daikin Park for another three-game set with the Houston Astros. With a 20-11 record, the Dodgers currently hold a slim half-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West. That also puts them tied for the second-best record in all of baseball alongside the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees—trailing only the Atlanta Braves, who lead the league at 22-10.

However, Los Angeles has hit a bit of a rough patch, dropping two straight and going 5-5 in their last ten games. On the road, they've been solid with an 8-5 mark, though they've been even stronger at home with a 12-6 record at Dodger Stadium. Their plus-22 run differential entering Friday's series is a positive sign, especially against a Cardinals team sitting at 18-13 in third place in the NL Central. The Astros, meanwhile, are struggling at 12-20 after splitting a doubleheader with the Baltimore Orioles.

One of the biggest talking points around the team is the workload of superstar Shohei Ohtani. The two-way phenom has been a force at the plate, delivering hit after hit for Dodgers fans. But the question remains: can he effectively handle both hitting and pitching over the grueling 162-game season? Dodgers manager Dave Roberts weighed in, telling MLB.com's Sonja Chen, "Obviously, having him do both duties, theory, practice, it's great. But how sustainable is it without kind of taking a little bit off his plate? That's the question, and it's not an exact science."

With over 100 games still to play, managing Ohtani's health will be key. For now, the Dodgers are focused on getting back in the win column and proving they have what it takes to stay atop the division.