The Los Angeles Dodgers collectively spent parts of the offseason and Spring Training dismissing the notion they would fall into a World Series hangover, and their play to start the 2021 regular season certainly supported that stance.
L.A. jumped out to an impressive 13-2 record behind strong starting pitching and a lineup that carried over much of the same success seen during last year’s championship run. There were series wins against the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres, and a sweep of the Washington Nationals.
However, a rash of injuries began to set in and the Dodgers remain mired in a collective slump at the plate. They ended April on a two-game losing streak and having dropped nine of their past 12 games.
The San Francisco Giants edged ahead in the National League West standings by a half-game. Despite some of the recent struggles, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts considered the first month of the season and a 16-11 record entering play Saturday as a positive.
“After one month I think we’re in a good spot. I think the recency kind of makes it a little bit more clouded, but to bank that as we started the season, I think we would’ve all banked that,” he said.
“The course of 162, to get through the first month where we’re at in the win-loss, I think is fine. It’s just kind of how we got there that doesn’t sit well with any of us.”
Even with their current slide, the Dodgers remain on a 96-win pace. It would be their fewest in a full season since getting off to a franchise-worst start in 2018 and finishing with 92 wins, though that was accompanied by a second consecutive trip to the World Series.
The Dodgers’ fewest number of wins under Roberts was 91 in 2016, his first season as manager.
Pollock optimistic Dodgers will get right
Although the team has largely slumped as a whole, AJ Pollock is one of the few who has recently put together quality at-bats and found some success. His home run on Friday was among the two hits the Dodgers mustered in their 3-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
“Obviously this skid is not ideal, but we’ve got the type of team that can run off a real hot streak, too,” Pollock said. “We have a lot of confidence in us. As tough as it’s been lately, it can go the other way and we get real hot. I think we just have to go back to playing good baseball and let the chips fall where they will.”
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