Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers' Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw Get Brutally Honest About Team's Struggles

Jul 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) talks to pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) after giving up a two run home run during the third inning against the Chicago White Sox  at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jul 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) talks to pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) after giving up a two run home run during the third inning against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts and starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw both shared their frustrations after the Milwaukee Brewers completed the season sweep over them on Sunday.

The Dodgers have lost 10 of their last 12, and six of those losses came against their opponents over the weekend.

“I’m frustrated. We’re all frustrated. I don’t know how else to say it,” Kershaw said. “We didn’t win a game. No excuses. We’ve just got to play better. I don’t have much to say. I’m going to get myself in trouble. So let’s just call it.”

More news: Dodgers' Mookie Betts Changes Tune on Shortstop Negatively Affecting His Offense

Opposing teams have swept the Dodgers three times this month, which has allowed a nearly insurmountable nine-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West to slip to just 3.5 games. Betts has especially struggled as of late, and is batting .189 in July with a sub-.700 OPS on the season.

“We’ve got to figure it out,” Betts said. "We’ve got to play better."

Since the beginning of this Dodgers slump, which began against the Houston Astros on July 4, they have the third-worst batting average and fourth-highest strikeout rate in MLB. They have scored less runs than everyone except the Pittsburgh Pirates in that time frame, and have a team wRC+ of just 67, well below league average.

Miguel Rojas has been a surprise bat in the Dodgers lineup during their tumultuous stretch, and has three home runs in the last 12 games as he fills in for third baseman Max Muncy. He has an OPS higher than 1.000 and the highest wRC+ on the team in that stretch. The Dodgers will hope the rest of the lineup can catch up and begin producing so they can maintain their spot at the top of the NL West.

More news: Dodgers Tabbed Best Landing Spot for $4.125 Million Shutdown Reliever at Trade Deadline

The Dodgers definitely need to turn things around in the final series of their six-game homestand against the Minnesota Twins, as the Padres' bats have begun to wake up in the second half and are rapidly closing in on the top spot in the division. Shohei Ohtani will start for the Dodgers on Monday at 7:10 p.m. PT.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.


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Aaron Coloma
AARON COLOMA

Aaron Coloma is a contributing writer for On SI based in Los Angeles. A 2024 graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, he previously covered collegiate and high school sports for The Poly Post and Valley Sports Telegram, respectively.

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