The Los Angeles Dodgers have forged a strong tradition of dominant pitching staffs throughout the 2010s and early 2020s. However, this year’s staff finds itself with a 4.26 ERA entering Saturday, which is ranked 20th among all teams.
From 2011-2022, the Dodgers played 12 consecutive seasons without their team ERA dipping below sixth. That included four years in a row with the lowest ERA in baseball from 2019-2022. Additionally, the Dodgers had four finishes inside the top-three among team ERA. Long story short, pitching has been a part of the organization’s identity for a long period.
The Dodgers’ fall from grace started with 2023 and continued in 2024, as they finished 13th in back-to-back seasons. Notably, that also was when their issues with keeping pitchers healthy began.
Injuries have certainly played their part again in 2025, with numerous high-profile starting pitchers being placed on the injured list, compounding losses the Dodgers are still feeling from last season.
However, manager Dave Roberts believes the Dodgers’ biggest pitching issue across the board is falling behind in counts too early and too often. He also acknowledged that the team needs the starters to step up with more consistent performances.
“I think for me, just kind of first glance, we need to be better at getting ahead in counts. I think if you take a deep dive, we start 1-0 quite often. So when you do that, it makes pitching tough,” Roberts said. “I think we’ve got to start being more efficient — certainly from the starters — to give us an opportunity to win games. The 30-pitch innings just don’t play. They’re not sustainable.
“And that starts with getting strike one, however you acquire it. I think getting strike one, that ultimately goes to our entire pitching staff.”
The Dodgers were able to mitigate starting pitching woes with their bullpen in the past, with top-five finishes in 2023 and 2024. This year has been a different story so far, as a heavy workload and key losses have limited the bullpen’s effectiveness at times.
Roberts believes there is room for mechanical improvements on an individual level for some, but it will mostly require a shift in mindset for the unit as a whole.
“I would say some of it is individually with mechanics for some guys. But I think overall, it’s a mindset,” he said. “Over my tenure here, we’ve been very good as a staff at getting strike one. To be at the bottom of the barrel in that facet of pitching is something that is disconcerting and certainly not healthy.”
The path forward for the Dodgers’ pitching staff first requires that the issue be presented, with an added aspect of Roberts challenging his guys to meet the standard.
“I think talking about it and bringing it to light. Sometimes when you’re mired in something, you’re not always aware of it. So as a staff, as an organization, bringing it to light, I think there’s a challenge component of it,” Roberts said.
“Everyone wants to get ahead, everyone wants to pitch well. We all understand that. But there’s ways to do that. So I think flagging that, which we have, I expect a difference in that part of the process.”
Roki Sasaki, Dodgers find silver lining with IL
The Dodgers placed Roki Sasaki on the 15-day injured list in the middle of May due to a right shoulder impingement. Sasaki is hopeful that his time on the IL will allow him to correct some mechanical issues that have been plaguing him, namely his fastball velocity and his command issues.
It’s a sentiment Roberts also expressed.
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