On April 20, the Los Angeles Dodgers lost to the New York Mets 6-4, which clinched their third consecutive series loss and was part of a slide that saw them lose nine of their past 15 games during the middle portion of April.
After losing the first two games of the series to the Mets at home, the Dodgers cruised to a 10-0 victory to avoid the sweep. It turned out to be the moment when the team started to play up to their capabilities as it was the start of a six game-winning streak and 7-2 record on their roadtrip.
The team has maintained their high-level of play as the sample size has grown, with a 15-2 record overall since April 21 and an active seven-game winning streak after sweeping the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes the team is playing as well as they ever have under his leadership, which is saying a lot considering the great teams he has managed during his nine years at the helm.
“I think in a complete game sort of frame, it’s as good as I’ve seen it. I think that over a stretch in recent years we’ve played some great baseball at times. But this is, from all facets, it’s as good as I’ve seen. It’s hard to beat what we’ve done.”
Improved pitching from both the starters and a very injured bullpen is one reason for the drastic shift in wins and losses. Over the past 17 games, Dodgers pitching has only allowed 1.60 runs per game, with four runs being the most they have given up in a single game during that stretch.
Most impressive was the fact they were able to accomplish this against some premier offenses like the Arizona Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves. The Diamondbacks posses a top-5 offense this year in terms of runs scored and the Braves are just outside the top-10, but their collection of talent on offense speaks for itself.
The Dodgers offense has also been a lot more dynamic and has cut down on the strikeouts that were the source of a lot of their troubles. This can be attributed to the team as a whole doing a better job of sticking to their approach.
Dodgers hoping their patience with Gavin Lux can be rewarded
In the Dodgers 8-2 win against the Marlins on Tuesday, Gavin Lux hit his first home run of the season.
It has been a rough process for Lux as he tries to re-establish himself in the Majors after missing all of 2023 due to injury. His home run offers the Dodgers a glimpse of what they hope that Lux can bring to the team this season.
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