Dodgers pitching largely to blame for two consecutive series defeats

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 3, 2024: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ryan Yarbrough (56) is taken out of the game in the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodgers Stadium on July 3, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently in a comfortable position as they lead the National League West, but they have lost two series to division opponents in the past week.

The Dodgers were able to pull off a win in their three-game series against the San Francisco Giants and did the same with a comeback and walk-off win on Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Their pitching was shaky, which was problematic and put them in deep trouble that they just had to get out of or fail to protect their lead.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is taking advantage of the opportunities available to him, but performance has fallen short of expectations, according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:

“It’s not pretty,” Roberts said of the team’s play during losses to their division rivals Giants and Diamondbacks.

The Dodgers have a 4-5 record this season against the Diamondbacks, who have been a thorn in their side since early last year, including the Diamondbacks’ victory over the Dodgers in the National League Division Series.

Austin Barnes noted that the Dodgers’ pitchers had not performed as expected, putting them in a difficult position on offense:

“Honestly, I feel like we just haven’t been pitching very well,” Barnes said. “It’s hard to win games when we don’t have momentum and we’re behind a lot. I think that’s the biggest problem right now. We’re not doing very well defensively.”

The Dodgers still lead the season’s overall statistics, but injuries and setbacks have mounted. Division opponents playing at their best make for a difficult situation, which increases the pressure in every game.

Looking ahead, the Dodgers have a lot of work to do to weather the current storm before the trade deadline if they decide to seek help outside the organization.

Dodgers’ next schedule

Starting Friday, the Dodgers face a tough series of games against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies, both of whom are at the top of their respective divisions.

The Dodgers need to live up to expectations and have momentum by the end of July. There’s not much for them to do right now other than evaluate their roster, and it will be a tough test for them against two strong opponents.

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