Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Points to Biggest Issues for LA Amid Struggles
The Dodgers hit a new low this past weekend as they were swept by their rival in the San Francisco Giants at home. They were outscored 29-8 over the course of the series, including a 15-0 loss on Saturday evening. The Dodgers hadn't been swept by the Giants at Dodger Stadium since 2012 and this was a new feeling as the team hadn't experienced anything like this in quite some time.
LA has played poorly of late and it has caused them to drop in the standings. They now sit in third place in the NL West, and they are falling fast. They still are dealing with some injuries and the inconsistency on the field has been a major issues. Manager Dave Roberts spoke about his team and their struggles recently.
“When you’re not winning games, things get magnified. If you look back at this two-week stretch, there’s a lot of things we’re not doing well,” Roberts said. “We’re not playing clean baseball, fundamental baseball. I think it’s going back to, not just trying to win, but focus on the little things: catching the baseball, minimize walks, throwing to the right base, not getting thrown out on the bases . Executing a pickoff play ― those are the things that are coming back to haunt us. Typically we’re much better at that.”
It's the little things that the Dodgers need to correct. The bullpen is constantly losing leads and giving games up. The offense is hot one day and then cold another. It's frustrating to watch and has caused the team to spiral a bit.
However, the 2023 Dodgers aren't done. This is a resilient group, or at least they have been previously. With stars such as Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman leading the charge, you can't count the Dodgers out. But something needs to be addressed quickly otherwise this season could be a wash.
With the trade deadline approaching fast, the Dodgers need to make a decision. Go ahead with this current group and hope that the injured players come back and make a different or take control of the season and make some trades.
With this current ideation of the team, they may not even reach the postseason. Baseball has some really good teams within and the Dodgers could get left behind this season. The time is now and Los Angeles needs to act fast.
