The Los Angeles Dodgers lineup held the MLB lead in several categories during the 2022 regular season and was led by the vaunted trio of Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman.
However, they never found a collective rhythm during the National League Division Series, which played a significant part in getting eliminated by the San Diego Padres.
“We just didn’t string hits together,” Betts said after the Dodgers’ 5-3 loss at Petco Park on Saturday night. “It wasn’t just the seventh (inning). We had to push across some runs early, and we didn’t. It sucks, but nothing else we can do now.”
After jumping out to an early lead and winning Game 1, the Dodgers fell into an 0-for-20 skid with runners in scoring position. It was the third-longest stretch during the postseason in Dodgers franchise history.
“We just didn’t hit, man. That’s on us. That’s on the hitters’ side,” Betts said. “We did not execute any type of plan. We didn’t do anything that we did throughout the season. Like I said, it sucks, but nothing we can do now.”
Freeman provided the hit the Dodgers long were in search for, with his two-run double in third inning of Game 4 breaking up a scoreless tie.
However, the Dodgers only got one run out of loading the bases with nobody out in the seventh inning. The Padres then strung hits together in the bottom half and took the lead on Jake Cronenworth’s two-run single.
“You just kind of felt the momentum shift a little bit,” Betts said. “They got a couple hits, Cronenworth came up in a big spot and came through. We didn’t come through in our situations. Like I said, it sucks, but nothing we can do now.”
Betts went hitless in the Dodgers’ final game of the year but drew two walks and scored two runs.
Dave Roberts took pressure off Mookie Betts
Although a strong suit for the Dodgers was their depth, the success of the lineup was often traced to how Betts was faring in the leadoff spot.
Manager Dave Roberts attempted to downplay how much of a crutch that was during the NLDS, but did admit when Betts reached base it created a vastly different dynamic for the remainder of the team.
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