With Saturday’s loss to the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ losing streak reached six games and they remained winless on the seven-game homestand, with Clayton Kershaw left to right the ship on Sunday afternoon.
The Dodgers sit below .500 with a 12-13 record, enduring their first losing month since September 2013. However, they remained tied with the San Francisco Giants for first place in the National League West.
While pitching — most notably an inconsistent bullpen — was at the forefront of the blame through the first few weeks of the 2016 season, the Dodgers’ inept offense has since taken center stage.
Chase Utley tied Saturday’s game with a two-run home run in the third inning. Any glimmer of hope it would spark the offense quickly went away as the Dodgers managed just one hit — a Carl Crawford two-out triple in the fourth inning — over the remainder of the game.
“They’re playing their tails off. You have to stick with them, these are our guys,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after another listless offensive performance. “I believe in them, I know they’re going to come out of it.”
One of Roberts’ main talking points in recent games has been the quality of his club’s at-bats. He lamented it after Tuesday’s loss, but has generally been pleased with the quality in the time since, including Saturday.
“There’s been some better at-bats. When there is some good contact, there’s really nothing to show for it. But again, we just have to keep going, hopefully hit some outfield grass and get baserunners,” Roberts said.
“Obviously, when you don’t get guys on base, there aren’t a lot of holes, things aren’t going on, it looks lackluster and low energy. But that just comes with not hitting. Any team that’s struggling offensively, that’s the perception. It’s not like guys are trying any less.”
The Dodgers have scored a combined 10 runs over their past six games, and are an abysmal 2-for-36 with runners in scoring position during the same stretch. Los Angeles is facing a San Diego club who entered the series mired in a five-game losing streak of their own.
They are the same Padres who the Dodgers routed, 25-0, in their three-game Opening Series at Petco Park. Roberts took some solace in the fact that despite the ongoing struggles, the Dodgers remain tied for first place in the NL West.
Roberts also reiterated the trust he has in his club and sticking with their principles. “For us, we talk about routine and consistency, and that’s what the guys are doing,” he said. “There’s absolutely no panic on my part.”
