Dodgers Opinion: Should We Be Concerned About the Dodgers?

CINCINNATI, OH—It has been a rough July for the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

After having their best month of the season in June, when they won seventeen of their twenty-seven games, pushing their lead in the National League West to a season-high 7.5-game lead, the team has only won eight games since.

July has been the Dodgers’ worst month of the season thus far, winning just eight games with thirteen losses, the most in a single month this season, with three more games to go.

Despite this cold streak, the Dodgers have maintained their lead in the NL West, primarily due to the struggles of the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants in July.

As of Monday, July 28th, the Dodgers hold a four-game lead over the second-place Padres and are just 1.5 games back from the best lead in the National League. However, while that may look fine on paper, some issues have been plaguing the team for over a month.

It’s a July We’d Like to Forget

Much like last season, the Dodgers stumbled into the All-Star break, dropping seven of their final nine games to end the first half.

Over the teams’ last thirty games, the Dodgers have an even record with fifteen wins and fifteen losses. Over their previous eighteen games, the only series wins they have achieved are against the Giants, Twins, and White Sox.

The Dodgers’ bullpen, which has been a workhorse all season, has finally seen a crack in the foundation, posting the fifth-highest ERA this month (4.76), along with multiple arms starting to regress as the season goes on.

Rookie right-hander Ben Casparius, whom the team relied heavily in the first half, has posted a 11.88 ERA in July after posting a sub-three ERA in the first two months of the season.

Tanner Scott, before his injury, led all of baseball with seven blown saves, tying a career-worst mark for the ‘24 NL All-Star closer who inked a massive 4-year, $72 million deal with Los Angeles over the winter.

Kirby Yates, who signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers this winter after his All-Star campaign, has regressed hard this season, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stating none of the pitchers have been competitive this month, as shown by his 6.00 ERA in July.

Despite a solid month at the plate from Michael Conforto, who’s batted .276 with a 133 wRC+ in July, the left-handed bat has not been able to outdo his disastrous start to the season, where he still ranks at the bottom of the league in production among qualified hitters.

The Dodgers’ offense as a whole has been lackluster this month, ranking fourth worst in the National League with an 89 wRC+ and a combined .221/.297/.377 slash line.

Freddie Freeman (73 wRC+), Mookie Betts (50 wRC+), Teoscar Hernández (79 wRC+), and Tommy Edman (29 wRC+) have struggled mightily in July, creating a lot more holes in what was the league’s best offense for most of the season.

That inconsistent offense was again on display over the weekend in Boston, where the Dodgers dropped the final two games of a three-game series.

Despite winning Game One on Friday, the Dodgers’ offense went a combined 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position on Saturday and Sunday, leaving an astounding twenty runners on base.

Things Should Trend Up in August

Regardless of how the Dodgers finish July, all eyes should be set on having a better August.

After a dreadful month leading into the trade deadline, the Dodgers front office, led by Andrew Friedman and General Manager Brandon Gomes, is set to acquire some talent to address the issues that have plagued the Dodgers this season.

The main objective, according to multiple MLB insiders, is to improve the bullpen, which, as stated earlier, has been overworked and inconsistent this season.

The Dodgers will acquire an arm at the deadline, but which arm remains a mystery. While the team has shot high with some names on the trade market, the front office is reportedly weary of trading away top talent in the farm for a relief pitcher.

While names like Jhoan Durán and Emmanuel Clase are the dream scenarios for Los Angeles, someone like Griffin Jax, Pete Fairbanks, or David Bednar, or soon-to-be free agent Ryan Helsley, would be more than fine.

The Dodgers have also been rumored to be looking to address the outfield and have checked in on fellow Twins teammate Harrison Bader and utilityman Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Regardless, the Dodgers brass will make moves between now and July 31st, in hopes of not only turning this team around but giving them a spark for the second half of the season.

However, even without the trade deadline, the Dodgers are in a good spot, as by the end of the week, they’ll have the six-man rotation that they dreamed of over the winter actually come to fruition.

Snell, 32, has been out since April, making just two starts for Los Angeles after inking a massive multi-year contract over the winter.

Tyler Glasnow, who was on the injured list with a right shoulder issue, returned just before the All-Star break and has looked spectacular since his activation.

Clayton Kershaw has been above league-average and a nice veteran presence to stabilize the rotation.

Yamamoto has taken a massive stride in his second year of his MLB career, making the All-Star team and becoming the true ace that the Dodgers hoped to sign last offseason.

And two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has returned and is expected to be stretched out to five-plus innings in August.

Déjà vu?

What many fans forget is that the Dodgers experienced a similar mid-summer “collapse” last year around the same time.

In July of last season, the Dodgers went 11-13 after stumbling into the All-Star break and suffered multiple injuries, such as the oblique to Max Muncy, the fractured hand of Mookie Betts, and the unfortunate sickness that Freddie Freeman’s son endured.

Despite all that, after a masterful trade deadline, which brought in Tommy Edman, Michael Kopech, Amed Rosario, and veteran outfielder Kevin Kiermaier.

The Dodgers would go on to win thirty-five games in August and September, battling to secure the National League West, National League Pennant, and World Series title.

However, their record after 106 games last season: 62-44

The Dodgers’ record after 106 games this season: 61-45

Moral of the story, as long as Friedman makes the moves (he will), it’ll be ok in Dodger Land!

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