Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: Dave Roberts Talks About the Struggles of Victor González

Los Angeles’ bullpen has had its peaks this season, but it’s also had a lot of low points that have really altered the team’s performance this season. From pitchers like Edwin Uceta up to Kenley Jansen, they haven’t been able to be consistent this year. They just haven’t been able to replicate their 2020 performance. 

One reliever that stands out, in particular, is lefty Victor González who has drastically regressed in his sophomore season. His latest mishap came during Tuesday night’s game against the Houston Astros. González walked the second batter he face before serving up a two-run home run to Yordan Alvarez. The home run was certainly a game changer as it knocked the air out of the fans in attendance as well as any hope the team had at a comeback. 



After the frustrating loss, Dave Roberts spoke about González’s struggles this year. 

“I think that just the consistency of the execution is something that we’re missing this year. Getting the slider to the glove side and not backing up like it did tonight against [Yordan] Alvarez, is something that we’re trying to work through. The consistency of the sinker – we’re trying to work through that as well. I think that it’s one of those things were for a pitcher to be consistent with his delivery, the results – it’s not easy, but we’re gonna continue to work through it. When Victor does make a mistake, he pays for it. We just gotta continue to work and get better.”

His health isn’t an issue as Roberts stated that he is healthy. After rising to become a savior, called upon to get the team out of jams, Victor has found himself in messes of his own creation. Doc hit a valid point about González in the fact that he’s been unable to consistently execute his pitches. He’s walked 19 batters this year in 33 innings of work in 2021 compared to 2 walks in 20 1/3 innings last year. Batters are also hitting almost 100 points higher against him this year as well. 

With the lack of many other reliable options in the pen, González urgently needs to find a way to get close to his 2020 self. They say pitching wins in October, but so far González and the pen are looking more like a liability. 

NEXT: Cody Bellinger Dropped to 8th in Lineup, Roberts Talks Struggles

8 Comments

  1. When does a bullpen pitcher work on his pitches? Only when he warms up to enter a game? Same old problem for Gonzales, almost every game inherited runners have scored. It’s demoralizing to the replaced pitchers.

    Urgency needs to begin now.

    1. Well if he’s consistently not getting it done in games why use him?
      And if he’s consistently not getting it done in sim games why use him?
      And if he’s consistently not getting it done in side work why use him?
      STRIKE THREE ! YOU’RE. OUT !!!

  2. “We’re going to continue to work though it” says the most stubborn manager in the game. Same thing he does with Bellinger and Jansen, “work through it”. Meanwhile, they are costing us games. Despite all the injuries we’ve had, a better manager using the right players would have won at least 5 more games. But all those killed rallies with Bellinger in the lineup, the blown saves with Jansen still closing, and the blown holds with Gonzalez and it’s no wonder we are still chasing the Giants. Folks, look at our MLB leading RDIFF! We can outscore and outpitch the opposition. The problem lies in the misuse of our talent but an untalented manager.

  3. Gonzales has been lousy for the last two months, but this bullpen is so lousy that he need to pitch.

  4. Good thing the Dodgers have an entire pitching staff signed and on the injured list……

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