Whether Yu Darvish, Rich Hill, Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, or even Cody Bellinger or Corey Seager, there’s not been a pitcher or position player returning to the lineup who’s been able to spark the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Matters went awry early in Saturday’s loss to the Colorado Rockies, as Wood surrendered a two-run home run to Trevor Story and RBI singles to Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado in the second inning.
The Dodgers pulled to within 4-3 of the Rockies, then 5-4 before ultimately falling 6-4. The loss was the Dodgers’ ninth in row, which is their longest losing streak in 25 years. Los Angeles enters play Sunday having lost 14 of their last 15 games.
“It’s getting to the point where everybody has to look in the mirror,” Wood said. “It’s time to turn it around.”
Wood allowed five runs on eight hits, walked three and only struck out two in five innings of work. It was his shortest start since pitching 4.2 innings against the Atlanta Braves on July 21.
The two strikeouts matched the second-lowest total for Wood this season, whether pitching in relief or starting. Throughout their slide the Dodgers have to a man stressed the bigger picture. Wood echoed a similar sentiment.
“I think we’re a little caught in between right now. Keeping things in the big picture and thinking about what we need to do to be ready for the playoffs,” he said. “But losing the last two weeks wasn’t in the cards. It’s time to bear down, turn this thing around and get some momentum going into October.”
After his disappointing outing against the Rockies, Kershaw said he believed the Dodgers simply needed to win one game in order to pull themselves out of the rut. For a team once lauded as arguably the best ever, that’s proven easier said than done.
