Dodgers Fans Express Concern Over Starting Lineup, Bullpen in Recent Polls
Having four top-25 MLB hitters in the lineup is not always enough to win games. The Dodgers are learning that the hard way this season.
The Dodgers have struggled to get support from the bottom half of their lineup, and fans are taking notice.
Based on a recent Dodgers Nation Twitter poll, fans expressed contentment with the front office work. However, a large number of fans agreed that the bottom of the Dodgers’ lineup needs some improvement.
The Dodgers are still ranked in the top three across the league in batting average (.257), on-base percentage (.333), slugging percentage (.435), and OPS (.768). But the top of the lineup highlighted by Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith has contributed the most to those rankings. The quartet collectively leads the MLB in all four stats.
Once you reach the bottom half of the Dodgers’ lineup, it is a different story.
Depending on the game, the bottom of the order consists of a combination of Kiké Hernández, Gavin Lux, Andy Pages, Jason Heyward, Chris Taylor, Austin Barnes, and Miguel Rojas. The Dodgers’ Nos. 6-9 batters have the fourth-lowest combined batting average (.200) and fifth-lowest OPS (.586) across MLB.
In another Dodgers Nation Twitter poll, the Dodgers’ starting rotation received approval from most fans.
Across the league, the starting rotation ranks sixth in ERA (3.40) and eighth in strikeout percentage (23.7 percent).
Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ bullpen received split opinions from fans.
The bullpen has the 11th-lowest strikeout percentage (22.4 percent), but they rank third overall in ERA (3.21). There are currently six relievers on the injured list, and their return has instilled hope in some fans.
The final Dodgers Nation poll showed that most fans are not satisfied with the team’s position players.
A majority of fans voiced that they want Betts moved from shortstop to second base or even back into the outfield.
The Dodgers recently had a five-game losing streak that narrowed the seven-game lead they once had in the National League West, which could explain fans’ desire for changes to the position players. But one fan remains optimistic about the Dodgers’ defense.
Not in the last 5 games but they were solid before that, hopefully they will get hot toward the end of the season and carry it through the playoffs
— Leica Guy (@GuyLeica) May 28, 2024
Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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DURING THE PAST OFF SEASON, WE SAID THE DODGERS SHOULD TRADE FOR LANE THOMAS OF THE WASHINGTON NATIONALS, A 27 YEAR OLD, 5 TOOL PLAYER, WITH GREAT UPSIDE, ON A NATIONALS TEAM THAT’S GOING NOWHERE! GO BACK & CHECK THE VECCHIO FACTOR SAYS…ARTICLES FROM THE ’23-’24 OFF SEASON & SPRING TRAINING TIME PERIODS WHERE WE ALSO IMPLORED THE DODGER FRONT OFFICE & PLAYER PERSONNEL DEPT. TO SIGN JOSH HADER. THOMAS HAD A GREAT YEAR IN 2023, & WOULD BE A SOLID, MAJOR UPGRADE FROM THE PRESENT GROUP OF DODGER OUTFIELDERS. CHRIS TAYLOR, AND PROSPECTS ARE THERE TO MAKE A TRADE FOR THOMAS HAPPEN.
2023 WAS THOMAS’ FIRST FULL SEASON IN MLB. IN 156 GAMES, HE HAD 168 HITS, 3 TRIPLES, 36 DOUBLES, AVERAGE WAS .268, WITH 28 HR’S & 86 RBI’S. HIS 0PS WAS .315-SLUG WAS .783. YESTERDAY, WE CALLED IN TO DAVID VASSEGH’S RADIO SHOW, & SPOKE TO TIM KATES WHO POO-POO’D THE THOMAS SUGGESTION BECAUSE THOMAS WAS HITTING 212 THIS YEAR, BUT KATES NEGLECTED TO SAY HE WAS OUT FOR 6 WEEKS WITH A SPRAINED MCL, AND JUST RETURNED TO THE LINEUP, HITTING IN THE BEST HITTER’S 2ND SPOT. BUT, WE TRIED, & WE GOT WHAT YOU GET FROM NON-BASEBALL PLAYER, TALK SHOW HOSTS ON THE DODGER STATION. THOMAS HAS AN INEXPENSIVE CONTRACT, & WOULD BE A MAJOR UPGRADE TO PAIR WITH TEOSCAR HERNANDEZ. AT 27-28, HE’S JUST NOW COMING INTO HIS OWN AS A MLB PLAYER, & COULD BE THE DODGERS REGULAR CENTER FIELDER FOR THE NEXT 7-10 YEARS.
This team, as is, will be bounced again in the first round of the playoffs, that is, if they get there at all. Why? The pitching? No. The bottom half of the lineup? Easily blamed for everything, especially since our top four guys are untouchable, but no. This team’s Achilles heal is the inconsistent offense, even though the media don’t want to talk about it. Betts is too streaky. Hot and cold don’t cut it for a leadoff batter in this league. Ohtani, hits the ball hard, but sometimes looks like a buffoon in the box. Frinkman is not having his typical year. Will Smith is too streaky. Not sure what the front office can do. They have done everything to produce a powerful lineup, and on some nights get what they are paying for, but I am tired of the hype. This team well get the early bounce in the playoffs again if they don’t do something to address the hot and cold offense. I, for one, am sick of the media blaming the pitching and the bottom half of our lineup for the woes of our vaunted billionaires.