Cody Snavely
Happy Tuesday! Hopefully, everyone enjoyed their three-day weekend as we celebrated Memorial Day despite the Dodgers’ struggles this past week.
The Dodgers are on a ‘not-so-lucky’ five-game losing streak, which is their longest since the 2019 season. They’ve been playing a bit like a comedy of errors, with a record of 7-8 in their last fifteen games.
Today, we have an exciting doubleheader lined up due to a rainout on Monday. The Dodgers are ready to bounce back and show their true potential. Let’s catch up on all the latest news up until now.
Week recap (5/20/2024-5/26/2024)
Diamondbacks Recap: The Dodgers started their week on the right foot, winning the opening game of a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, the thrill was short-lived, as the Dodgers bats went silent over the next two games in the series.
The Dodgers lost not only their first series to Arizona in Los Angeles since 2018 but also their first shutout loss to the Diamondbacks since the 2017 season.
- Game One: 6-4 W
- Game Two: 3-7 L
- Game Three: 0-6 L
Reds Recap: Oh, where do we start with this series against the lowly Cintanatti Reds? First, the Dodgers’ pitching has been a shell of itself since the first game, which saw James Paxton unable to go deep into the game or limit free passes on the bases.
The Dodgers’ offense was strong in the opening of the series, taking the lead after staring at a three-nothing deficit, but it was short-lived, as the Reds’ offense would torment the Dodgers this entire series.
Walker Buehler, who threw six shutout innings against the Reds a week before, was unable to replicate his success, and in the series finale, Yoshinobu Yamamoto would take the loss in a rain-soaked affair.
The Dodgers were swept out of Great American Ballpark and were staring at a five-game losing streak, which was tied for the Chicago White Sox as the longest in the MLB at that point.
- Game One: 6-9 L
- Game Two: 1-3 L
- Game Three: 1-4 L
Miller & Phillips rehab assignment
While the Dodgers were amid a series sweep at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds, they had two significant pitchers each complete the start of the rehab.
Dodgers right-handed starter Bobby Miller and right-handed closer Evan Phillips each pitched in Sunday’s game with the Rancho Cucamonga Quake, each with varying results.
After a hiatus since early April due to right-shoulder inflammation, Bobby Miller made a strong comeback, going three innings and allowing three runs, four hits, four strikeouts, and two walks.
In his recovery time, Miller has had multiple sim games and live at-bats with mixed results, allowing multiple runs and contact, but he ultimately came out healthy.
The next step is another rehab assignment, and depending on the results, the young righty could rejoin the Dodgers rotation at the start of June.
On the other hand, Evan Phillips showcased his prowess during his lone inning of work on Sunday. He allowed no hits and no runs and struck out two batters, hinting at the potential impact of his return to the bullpen.
The combination of these guys being activated off the injured list soon should excite Dodgers fans who are in a funk and will give them a solid arm in the rotation and a solid arm in the bullpen to close out games.
Struggles hitting with RISP?
The Dodgers’ woes over the last fifteen games have culminated mainly due to the offense’s inability to hit with runners in scoring position, an area of play that has plagued this team already so far in 2024.
Currently, the Dodgers are eighteenth in batting average with an RISP of .253, an OBP of .339, an SLG of .394, and an OPS of .733.
The Dodgers squandered multiple opportunities in their recent series against the Reds, failing to capitalize with runners on base. This allowed the mediocre 2024 Reds team to sweep them out of the city, highlighting the urgency for improvement.
The Dodgers have had an up-and-down year hitting with RISP, and their record shows in the months that have been played so far.
- Mar 20-Apr 20: .244 avg w/ RISP; 12-11 record
- Apr 21-May 9: .328 avg w/ RISP; 14-2 record
- Since May 10: .194 avg w/ RISP; 7-8 record
If the Dodgers want to fully tap into their immense potential and become a more cohesive unit, they need to start hitting with RISP.
Ohtani throwing update
Shohei Ohtani has once again been one of the league’s most dominant hitters and is on one of the best starts for a full-time DH in MLB history.
However, the two-way star is also rehabbing from his second career Tommy John surgery and is well on his way to reverting back to two-way status for the 2025 season.
Over the past few months, Ohtani has begun ramping up his throwing program, throwing around 60-70 times per session and increasing the distance with each session.
(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)
However, there is still no shot that the Dodgers will try their luck with Ohtani on the mound late during the 2024 season or perhaps the 2024 postseason. So far, all eyes are on 2025 for the Dodgers and their fans to truly experience the two-way superstar that is Shohei Ohtani.
In the meantime, Ohtani leads the Dodgers in just about every offensive category. Even as a full-time designated hitter, Ohtani is among the favorites to win a third Most Valuable Player Award in the last four seasons.
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