Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Isn't Too Worried About Recent Defensive Miscues
The Dodgers played another sloppy defensive game on Tuesday night in San Diego. The Padres scored two runs in the first inning after what should have been an inning-ending double play didn't materialize because Justin Turner tripped over his own feet. In the bottom of the eighth, San Diego's third run scored after a double that bounced off of Chris Taylor's glove and an error on JT that actually allowed the run to score.
The defensive mess continues a trend of the past couple weeks that has seen the Dodgers allow 15 unearned runs in the last 18 games — and even that undersells the issue, because plays like JT's first-inning stumble don't lead to unearned runs as they're not technically errors.
After the game, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts was asked if he's concerned about the sloppy defensive play from his team lately.
“Not at all. I guess I’d rather have it happen now than later. For me, the way that we prepare, the way we play, the intent, it’s all where it needs to be.”
Turner's overall play at third base has been mostly solid this year, but Max Muncy has gotten more playing time there and performed better when he's out there. JT gets a lot of time at DH, but Roberts wanted to get Austin Barnes in the lineup against Blake Snell last night, which meant Will Smith at DH, JT at third, and Muncy at second.
Taylor is usually solid in left field, although Joey Gallo and Trayce Thompson are both better options there. But Gallo was on the bench with the tough lefty on the mound, and with Cody Bellinger on the bench for the same reason, Thompson was in center. Gavin Lux's defense has been an area of concern at second base, but he wasn't in the lineup last night.
While Roberts says he's not concerned, it seems likely that he'll send a message to the team somehow about turning on the defensive intensity now rather than waiting for October and hoping to flip a switch. Errors will always happen, and no team will be perfect on defense, but if the Dodgers' current lull is related to the meaninglessness of their games recently, hopefully they'll be able to refocus and get things going again.
