The Los Angeles Dodgers have dealt with a downward offensive trend in May, leading to a dip in their winning potential and a five-game losing streak.
From May 10 through the start of play on May 28, the Dodgers’ offense has a collective .210 batting average, good for 28th in Major League Baseball. The main issues stem from a lack of hits with runners in scoring position, to which they rank 28th in those situations since.
The lack of production since early May isn’t an isolated issue, as a huge portion of their lineup has failed to post league-average or above numbers.
Their saving grace is still the lead built up in the National League West, and a pitching staff that has held games together. Without a singular area to isolate as the reason for the lack of offense, the Dodgers look at it as a team-wide slump, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“As far as the two weeks of very inconsistent offense, it’s a collective effort,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s not just the top that’s got to go up there and do their thing. It’s the middle. It’s the bottom of the order. It’s everyone. Not trying to play for one big hit, but we haven’t got that hit. Each game you look at, there’s some opportunities for us to put up a crooked number and just haven’t been able to do that.”
Looking ahead, the Dodgers face a few struggling teams in the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates, but against the hot Colorado Rockies and the powerhouse New York Yankees, they’ve got some work to do.
Infielder Max Muncy being out is a tough blow, but not nearly enough for the offense to slip to where it’s currently at with the big four at the top.
Dodgers bench is in big trouble
Their current rotation of Andy Pages, Chris Taylor and Kiké Hernández have struggled, mightily. Since May 10, Pages (6 wRC+), Hernández (73 wRC+) and Taylor (76 wRC+), make up one of the worst units in the National League.
That’s not counting Gavin Lux, who owns a 72 wRC+ in that span, as well.
Heading into the trade deadline, the Dodgers must improve on the group listed and cannot rely on such a group of mediocre offensive pieces.
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