The Braves Just Exposed a Weakness the Dodgers Must Fix (Here's How)

The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in an unexpected spot as the National League Division Series head back to Atlanta.

The Braves went into Dodger Stadium and stole Game 2, and now find themselves in the driver's seat in the best-of-five series.

The Dodgers need to win at least one game at Truist Park this week. If they don't, their season is over.

"We've got our work cut out," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday's game. "Now it's a three-game series."

Dodgers Offense is a Major Concern

The Dodgers offense has been the story of the series' first two games. Facing a Braves bullpen game in both contests, the Dodgers have relied exclusively on the home run ball to score runs.

In Sunday's Game 2, they went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base.

“Sometimes it’s just you can’t hit,” said shortstop Mookie Betts, who's led off each of the first two games and is 1-for-5 with three walks. “I mean, there’s nothing really you can do to explain that. You’ve just got to be in the moment and come through. We had some moments today [when] we didn’t come through.

“That’s part of the game. We’ve just got to keep giving ourselves moments, and eventually something will happen.”

The struggles aren't exclusive to one player, though.

Andy Pages is 0-for-7 coming off last year's nightmare October.

Will Smith, the Dodgers' current No. 3 hitter, is 0-for-8.

Tommy Edman, who was replaced by pinch-hitter Josue De Paula in the bottom of the ninth inning of Sunday's game, is 0-for-5.

Then there's Shohei Ohtani, who looks nothing like himself as he battles injuries to his knee, biceps and neck.

Ohtani is 2-for-8 with two singles. He had two strikeouts in Game 2.

"There's a lot of chase," Roberts said of Ohtani. "It's hard to square up, put good swings on balls that are out of the zone. That's kind of what it boils down to."

So, is Ohtani healthy enough to be playing?

"I haven't heard anything other than he feels fine," Roberts said. "So I don't know if he's trying to do too much because he doesn't feel perfect. This time of year ... no one feels perfect. He's doing the best he can."

The Dodgers offense disappearing in the NLDS isn't anything new, though.

The Dodgers were ousted in the 2022 and 2023 NLDS due to a lack of offense. In 2024, the Dodgers' pitching shut down the San Diego Padres over the series' final two games to come back and win the series.

Thus, the Dodgers will have to rely on their experience to get them out of this familiar hole.

“We’ve got to find a way to score some runs without hitting a home run,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “That’s our biggest thing right now. So keep getting guys on base and get that big hit.”

Easier said than done.

Chris Sale, the fully-rested ace of the Braves, is pitching on Tuesday. Then, the team's second-best starter, Tyler Mahle, is pitching what will be an elimination game for one team on Wednesday.

If the Dodgers want to have a chance to win a third consecutive World Series title, it's up to the offense to get them there.

Should the Dodgers Make a Lineup Change?

It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Dodgers alter the lineup for Game 3. While they've faced left-handed "starters" in each of the first two games, LA was planning for bullpen games.

Now, they can plan to face Sale for a majority of the game.

The only Dodgers with any semblance of success against Sale are Betts and Freeman. Ohtani, who's clearly compromised, is just 3-for-15 against the former Cy Young award winner.

Roberts already confirmed Ohtani would be in the lineup for Game 3. The Dodgers are clearly planning to ride or die with their best player.

Could they move him out of the No. 2 hole in what's obviously a bad matchup for him?

It would be bold, but at this point, bold is needed to get LA's offense back on track.

"Certainly Sale is going to be tough because there's a lot of strike to ball, it's high velocity," Roberts said of the matchup for Ohtani.

Then, he added: "He'll be in there Game 3, and we've just got to, again, take good at-bats and expect the best."

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