The Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the most historic franchises in baseball and last year’s World Series champs, are in a weird spot. After getting swept by the Chicago Cubs, they’re playing their worst ball of the season and are ranked 4th in Newsweek Sports’ latest power rankings—far from where they expected to be.
For a team that entered the year with championship aspirations, this is getting serious.
What Went Wrong Against the Cubs?
The Dodgers’ trip to Wrigley Field was a disaster. They lost 7-6 on Wednesday night and it was a microcosm of their problems lately.
One of the biggest issues is the offense. Even stars like Shohei Ohtani who have made careers out of defying expectations are struggling to produce. In his last 21 at-bats Ohtani has 3 hits and is now at .261 on the season. His bat is lost and it was evident in his 6th inning at-bat against the Cubs.
With runners on 2nd and 3rd and 2 outs, all eyes were on on Ohtani to deliver. Instead, he chased a fastball up and in—an uncharacteristic move for someone who has made a career out of clutch hitting. The result? A swing and miss and the Dodgers were done.
Manager Dave Roberts didn’t mince words about Ohtani’s approach during this stretch.
“He had a fastball to hit and just got too big with the swing,” Roberts said via The Orange County Register. “All you need is a base hit right there. I think a little bit this series and even that last game in Texas when he came back there was a little over-aggressiveness.”
Roberts noted that while Ohtani has shown flashes of patience (drawing walks) he’s also chasing pitches that lead to quick outs instead of letting the pitcher work into mistakes.
Dodgers’ Hitting Slump is a Problem
It’s not just Ohtani; the whole lineup is sputtering. The Dodgers’ offense that carried them most of last season has gone cold. Quality at-bats are a rarity, and timely hitting feels like a myth. This slump couldn’t come at a worse time with tougher games ahead.
Defense and pitching are still strengths for the Dodgers but they can only carry the team so far without run support. For a team that’s used to dominating, this is new territory and it’s showing in the standings.
Can the Dodgers Turn It Around?
Despite all this, the Dodgers have a ton of talent. When healthy and clicking on all cylinders, they can beat any team in baseball. But execution is key, and right now, execution is missing.
If there’s a silver lining it’s that we’re still early in the season. There’s time for adjustments individually and collectively. Ohtani will need to recalibrate his approach and focus less on trying to do too much and more on making contact.
And manager Dave Roberts needs to find a way to get the spark back in this team. Whether that’s shuffling the lineup or tweaking the strategy something needs to change and fast.