Dave Roberts On Dodgers Struggles: ‘Feels Like We’ve Had to Be Perfect’
Over their last two games, the Los Angeles Dodgers have surrendered seven combined runs in the ninth inning, blowing leads in back-to-back games to the Detroit Tigers. The Dodgers have lost six of their last seven games, including getting swept by the Philadelphia Phillies.
“It feels like we have to play perfect baseball,” manager Dave Roberts said, via The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. “And that’s not the way it should be for us to win baseball games.”
The Dodgers might have had to play close to perfect baseball to beat the Phillies, but they certainly have not had to be perfect in every one of their losses. Their losses over the weekend to the Tigers are a great example. By no means did the Dodgers have to play perfectly against the Tigers to get the win on Saturday; they simply had to not give up five runs in the ninth inning.
However, injuries to the bullpen hurt the team, as their final three relievers gave up critical runs that led to their loss. The Dodgers also had a lead the following day, and simply proved unable to hold onto it.
Ultimately, the Dodgers are injured and clearly in need of the time off during the All-Star break, which begins Monday. They’ll get four days off from their schedule before resuming on Friday against the Boston Red Sox.
The Dodgers are missing much of their rotation, including Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller, and Walker Buehler, who are all either on the injured list or have been optioned to Triple-A (Miller). Mookie Betts has also been out with a hand fracture, which has undoubtedly reduced the Dodgers’ margin for error.
Ideally, the rest and time off will give the Dodgers the time to reset heading into the second half of the season.
Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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Fire Dave Roberts.
I respectfully disagree. I don’t hear much talk about Max Muncey not being in the line up; as he is/was our RBI leader. Robert’s can’t play 3d base. It makes lot of difference in the W/Loss column. Hopefully they all get hralthy.. Thanks
It’s not as if with Muncy out, no one is playing 3rd base and LAD is playing 8 against 9 on the opposing team. People get injured, you don’t curl up in a fetal position in the floor and give up. He’s been out since what, mid May? And going 6 – 10 since the midway point of the season is related to this “new adjustment to the roster? Look, they were 50 – 31 after 81 games, on pace for 100 wins at the time – without Muncy for most of that.
Don’t have to be perfect. Just have to play good fundamental baseball. Do the little things. Move runners up with productive outs, choke up with 2 strikes and put the ball in play. Take a different approach with RISP.
Great post Eva. You’re awesome.
The lineup can’t help the depleted pitching staff. But for the money it’s getting paid, it should!!
Also, we need play perfect? The As took 2 out of 3 from Philly – in Philly – in the series after they swept us. So what, we can’t even complete at the level of the As? Pathetic and Roberts has absolutely no ideas on how to fix this.
Injuries are no excuse. Playing stupid and lackadaisical are unacceptable for a Dodger team. With a depleted lineup, you have to be creative in scoring. Detroit took them to school with a lesser talented team and embarrassed them. Dodger baseball is at the moment of being boring and very predictable. Every team have their injuries, so it is not an excuse.
I dunno who to blame. The Dodgers have had an entire, first class starting pitching staff out. Kershaw, Gonsolin, May, Yamamoto, Beuhler and maybe more. And they’re in first place by what, 7 games? But my gawd, that weekend collapse against the Tigers? Embarrassing. Never been a fan of Roberts as manager, player, yes, person, yes, manager, no. Anyway, I felt like they were doing it by smoke and mirrors until the last week. I mean I’m rooting for them, but not knowing how they’re doing it.
Still got my fingers crossed, but while they might win the division, if that, I don’t know how much further than that they will go.
I’ve managed people, not baseball, not sports, and was never compelled to yell at people for a lack of performance. But supposedly in Baseball that happens. Is it time for Roberts to go full red in the face, spittle coming out of his mouth team meeting? Dunno.