It is no secret that the Los Angeles Dodgers have struggled against left-handed pitching this season. The team owns a .767 on-base plus slugging percentage agains righties, which is good for 10th overall.
But the Dodgers’ .618 OPS against southpaws ranks last in the Majors. So too does their .210 batting average, .273 wOBA and 71 wRC+. One explanation for the team’s struggles is the loss of Trayce Thompson and Scott Van Slyke.
Thompson enjoyed success prior to suffering a back injury, while Van Slyke was limited the entire year due to multiple injuries.
Kiké Hernandez has also failed to replicate his previous success against left-handers. Meanwhile, the likes of Joc Pederson is still adjusting and learning how to succeed against same-side pitching.
Pederson has seen limited action against lefties this season, making just six starts, and appearing in 48 games overall. He recently began wearing a face guard on his helmet, which is typically used by players who have been hit near the face.
According to Doug Padilla of ESPN, Pederson is hopeful it will aid his approach against left-handers:
“I think I will wear it against lefties or something; try to stay on the ball a little longer,” Pederson said after a two-hit game Saturday that included a mammoth home run to right-center field. “I have to do something against them because what I have done isn’t working.”
Pederson initially joked he was wearing the new face gear because he liked the look and felt as though he was former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.
Overall this season the second-year player is batting .244/.342/.486 with 23 home runs, 60 RBIs, 55 walks and 120 strikeouts. Against lefties, Pederson is hitting a lowly .093/.219/.167 with a home run, seven RBIs, nine walks and 19 strikeouts in 65 plate appearances.
He didn’t start Monday’s game with San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner on the mound, and isn’t in Wednesday’s lineup against Matt Moore.
