With as deep of a roster the Los Angeles Dodgers have, manager Dave Roberts is afforded the luxury of writing out a lineup that puts the club in the best position to win on a daily basis. But with that depth comes some difficult questions.
Although Logan Forsythe was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays to fill the void at second base and in the leadoff spot, it was Andrew Toles who was penciled atop the Dodgers lineup sheet against the San Diego Padres on Opening Day. Forsythe hit fifth.
That was in part due to Yasiel Puig’s struggles throughout Spring Training, Roberts acknowledged. “I think that’s fair,” he responded when asked if Forsythe not hitting lead off was related to Puig.
“With Yasiel, we’re looking for him to be consistent. I think the at-bat quality needs to be consistent versus left- and right-handed pitching. I didn’t see that during the spring. … I hope Yasiel makes it tough on me to hit him down (in the lineup).”
After batting eighth in the lineup throughout the exhibition Freeway Series, Puig hit in the same spot in the order on Monday. He was intentionally walked in his first plate appearance, and finished 1-for-3 with one double and two walks.
Roberts recently said that because of Puig’s inconsistency, he sees him hitting at the bottom of the lineup until there’s better production. That should hold particularly true when the Dodgers face a right-handed starter.
Dropping Forsythe in the order does break up left-handed hitters Adrian Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal and Joc Pederson. Forsythe was twice hit by a pitch and went 1-for-3 with two runs scored in the Dodgers’ rout of the Padres.
Forsythe returned to the leadoff spot in Tuesday’s lineup against San Diego left-handed starter Clayton Richard, and Puig was slotted fifth.
