Andrew Friedman Says Dodgers’ Struggles Are ‘More Random Than Anything’

The Dodgers president of baseball operations offered an answer to the team's slumping offense.

Apr 28, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker (23) reacts to striking out against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers have struggled for the better part of the last month. The lineup that features MVPs and All-Stars hasn't quite found its rhythm.

Wednesday's 4-0 win over the San Francisco Giants provided some hope that things were moving in the right direction for the back-to-back World Series champions.

The Dodgers entered Wednesday's matchup having one of the worst records in the majors since mid-April. It wasn't the type of performance one would expect from a team in the midst of its dynastic era, but president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman believes the Dodgers' month long slump is "more random than anything."

“What we know for a fact is every guy is going to have ups and downs,” Friedman said to the LA Times. “And this is some of the randomness of baseball. Sometimes those happen spread out, which allows your offense to thrive, and sometimes they happen concurrently, and that’s when you go into some real offensive lulls. And I feel like that’s more random than anything.”

For one, the guy at the top of the order has endured an uncharacteristic rough patch at the plate. Shohei Ohtani ended his home run drought on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants, but it was only his second blast in the last 24 games.

While Ohtani is struggling at the plate, he's dominating on the mound. Wednesday's 4-0 win against the Giants featured some of the right-hander's best work as he tossed seven shutout innings with eight strikeouts while allowing four hits.

Manager Dave Roberts believes Ohtani being out of the lineup on days he starts is what's best for him and the team — and thinks Ohtani is OK with it, whether he agrees or not.

“I think he appreciates it,” Roberts said. “It does matter [what he wants], to some extent, but I do think that when I see him and how his body is responding and dragging a little bit, I think that most times it’s best to take it out of the player’s hands. I do think that we have a good enough relationship that he understands I’m doing this for him and the team.”

While the decision certainly helps Ohtani remain focused on the mound, his offensive dominance has yet to make an appearance in 2026. Entering Thursday's series finale — in which Ohtani is getting his first true day off of the season — the four-time MVP is batting .240 with a .797 OPS.

The Dodgers need their players at the top of the batting order to start producing in order to find their stride as the season progresses. The reigning champs barely survived the Fall Classic hitting .203, and the chances of the team winning a third title with a slumping offense is extremely low.

Once the Dodgers offense does wake up, however, it will certainly be a scary sight for opposing teams. Until then, they'll continue to lean on the pitching staff.

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