Editorials

Dodgers: Why One Bad Week Won’t Derail the Reigning World Champs

The Los Angeles Dodgers are struggling offensively. Since their 11-6 win in extras against the San Diego Padres last Friday, the Dodgers have scored a total of eleven runs through this Friday. During that time, Corey Seager has hit .083 while Justin Turner has cooled off (.158) from his hot start. 

To make things more challenging, 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts has been in and out of the lineup. 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger remains on the sidelines as he recovers from a hairline fracture on his left fibula.

Los Angeles has lacked punch. They’ve lost four of their last five after Friday’s 6-1 loss to the Padres. 

Their offense will get back on track.

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They simply have too much talent to sustain this level of offensive ineptitude for more than a week or two. They have the best starting pitching in all of baseball. They have seasoned veterans that will continue to battle through this team wide slump.

This squad is too good to let one bad week derail a 162-game season. 

Starting Pitching

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Dodgers starting staff has been stupendous since during that same stretch. Julio Urias dismantled the Mariners (11 Ks, 1 H, 0 ER) en route to the best start of his career. Walker Buehler went seven innings, struck out nine, and gave up just two earned runs against the Padres. 

MLB Team Starter ERA Leaders 4/17 – 4/24

  • Padres 1.63
  • Dodgers 2.13
  • Rockies 2.21
  • Giants 2.27
  • Athletics 2.41

Kershaw, Buehler, Bauer, Urias, and May. There isn’t another team in baseball right now that has stable of quality starters like the Dodgers.

Is Dodgers-Padres a Rivalry?

The idea has been bandied about at length this year. Bottom line, their both two very talented teams that are competing for the same goal. Sure, the Padres haven’t won anything since, well, ever, but in this writer’s opinion, it’s a rivalry by definition.

All of that and more on a brand new episode of the 3 Up 3 Down Podcast!

NEXT: Dave Roberts Has No Answer for Uncharacteristically Bad Defense

Eric Eulau

Born and raised in Ventura, not "Ven-CH-ura", California. Favorite Dodger Stadium food is the old school chocolate malt with the wooden spoon. Host of the Dodgers Nation 3 Up, 3 Down Podcast.

10 Comments

  1. One bad week won’t determine the fate of the remainder of the season but after Sundays game BP help and upgrading the bench might be in order. Rios is not long for this roster as he is lost in this limited role of an occasional PH appearance and as far as Peters is concerned, he just doesn’t make enough contact to remain up here. Small sample size for Peters but in 5 AB’s he has struck out 4 times and in key situations.

    1. David Price battling a hamstring issue set up the rest of the game negatively for the Dodgers. They never recovered from that

  2. LOL.. I guess they disproved they are best team in baseball… have seen Little League play better… ashamed to say I have been a Dodger fan for 60 yrs… Roberts has to go!!!!

    1. what did Roberts do? I must have missed when he didn’t pitch hit or throw the ball well. Teams win games and teams lose games. That was a team loss thru and thru

  3. 22 games at the beginning of the season with 140 games to go. Roberts has to go?!? Really?!? It’s better to find out early where the young one’s play a part on the team now, than later. If this happened in August or September we may just have a bit of concern. Let the Giants and Padres do well now. See if they can keep it up. I doubt it. It’s not easy. We will get our starters back, and then let’s see what the would of… should of… could of… teams have to say. Our Boys in Blue are not going to let us down, and neither will their Manager.

  4. Starting pitching is on target. Bullpen is no longer shut down. David Price is a shell of himself. He was throwing BP last night. Peters,Rios.and even Smith look horrible. Bazooka doesn’t belong up. 100 mph with absolutely no movement is BP for most hitters. And Kenley,can we really trust him?

  5. Dodgers will be fine when they get a few regulars back. Price with a hamstring issue started the waterfall of poor pitching from the back end of the pen. That’s ok. Dodgers will recover and continue to lead MLB in W-L.

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