Milk was a bad choice.
If the Los Angeles Dodgers reach the mountain top in 2019 and win their first World Series title since 1988, there might be one particular food item you can point to as the reason for their championship success: milk.
Or lack thereof.
After winning the National League pennant in back-to-back seasons, the Dodgers have fallen short of hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy after losses to the Astros and Red Sox in the Fall Classic, respectively.
This season, several Dodger players have decided to adopt a no-dairy diet in hopes that the lifestyle switch will improve their health, physical performance, and ability to recover from the day-to-day grind of a nearly nine-month long season.
These players are hoping that this one dietary decision could be the difference between watching their opponents celebrate at Chavez Ravine or enjoying a parade down Vin Scully Ave.
Corey Seager, Kiké Hernandez, Ross Stripling, David Freese, Kenley Jansen, and Justin Turner have all undertaken the no-dairy diet at various points this season.
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The origin of the diet dates back to 2017, when recently retired second baseman Chase Utley decided to cut dairy out of his diet in order to help slowdown the aging process.
Utley was approaching 40, and had been told that by eliminating dairy, it could help alleviate chronic pain and inflammation. An idea that Dodgers strength and conditioning coach Brandon McDaniel had long believed as well, and was just waiting for the right athlete to undertake the experiment.
So the man players affectionately called "Dad," began his diet and immediately noticed the difference. In addition to losing weight, Utley said he noticed that the lack of dairy in his system helped reduce pain and inflammation caused by injuries.
"I don't eat dairy," Utley said at the time. "You guys shouldn't eat dairy."
Utley began to tell his teammates of the results and would constantly sport an "Anti Dairy Social Club," T-shirt in the weight room and around the clubhouse and now fans can participate in the trend by purchasing a "Los Angeles Dairy Free" T-shirts for $28.00.
"That right there was a selling point for me," Dodgers' slugger Max Muncy told the Athletic this spring. "You're talking about playing 162 games in 180 days. You're talking about wearing cleats for all of those, which hurts your feet. Everything hurts. Anything you can do to gain an edge and make your body feel better on a daily basis, why wouldn't you try it?"
Dodgers super utility player Enrique "Kiké" Hernandez soon followed his mentor, and also noticed the differences as he got into the best shape of his life. It's no coincidence that soon after Hernandez adopted the diet, he had a great second half of the season in 2018, and earned the Dodgers' starting second base job in spring training this year.
Another young player who looked up to Utley finally decided to try the no-dairy diet as well, when 2016 NL Rookie of the Year winner, Corey Seager, adopted the diet at the end of the 2018 season while on the injured list.
"Seager, coming off the injuries, he was at a point in his career where it was time to start eating well," said Seager's close friend Ross Stripling, who also briefly tried the diet but struggled to keep on weight. "I was living with Seager last year when he started doing it. I know at first, it was tough for him. He likes pizza, he likes ice cream, he likes Reese's peanut butter cups, so I know it was tough for him."
Seager stuck to the diet, and within weeks had lost 25 pounds. His cheeks sucked in and his new thinner and leaner frame made a huge difference as he recovered from both Tommy John and hip surgeries.
"It seems like guys that do it cut down. They say that dairy causes inflammation or leads to more inflammation," said Stripling. "He [Seager] has it down now. Living in Los Angeles, it's easy. Doing it in Texas for example, it might be kind of a battle."
According to health.com, a no-dairy diet can help you lose weight, feel less bloated, and even help improve your skin. While there's no scientific data to confirm Utley's belief that a no-dairy diet can reduce pain and inflammation, the reason these athletes likely feel better is the increase in plant-based calcium and proteins, rather than from the saturated fats of dairy products.
Dodgers' closer Kenley Jansen adopted the diet in the offseason, not to reduce inflammation, but to save his life.
"I didn't want to do another heart surgery," said Jansen who underwent his second heart surgery in six years on Nov. 26. "I started eating healthy since the season ended. No dairy. No carbs. No sugar."
Jansen also worked out twice a day in the offseason: once in the morning, and again at night before bed. He's lost 30 pounds since, and physically, feels the best he's ever felt in his career.
The Dodgers "no-dairy diet" has also extended outside of the world of baseball and seeped into other sports as well.
In the NFL, Tennessee Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan went vegan in 2017 at the behest of his wife, professional chef Charity Morgan. Shortly thereafter, fifteen of Morgan's teammates on the Titans also adopted a plant-based diet.
Six-time Super Bowl Champion and arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time, Tom Brady, is one of the most famous athletes to adopt a non-dairy diet. Brady follows a strict diet that excludes dairy, processed meat, and refined grains and sugar.
In the NBA, All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, and centers DeAndre Jordan and JaVale McGee have also ditched dairy and gone vegan. All three have noticed improved performance on the court, and more energy overall.
Time will ultimately tell whether or not the no-dairy diet can make the difference for the Dodgers in 2019. They currently sit in first place in the N.L. West, and are the betting favorites to return to the Fall Classic for a third consecutive season.
