Four games, four wins, and suddenly everything fell apart. During their winning streak, the defending champions looked unstoppable. But the Diamondbacks have made them look like batting practice dummies. The complete story? Only one run in two games. The Dodgers dugout is stumped from the skipper to the player.

The first game of the the Dodgers’ 3-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks ended in a 3‑0 shutout loss. The Dodgers couldn’t even get a hit off Zac Gallen, even though Blake Snell pitched well. Well, the second game was better… for Arizona. They won 6–1, and Tyler Glasnow almost threw a no-hitter. The Dodgers only scored one run in the eighth inning.

After the blunder, when asked about the game in a conversation with SportsNet LA, $6.5M veteran Kike Hernandez didn’t sugarcoat. He said, “It didn’t go our way. And we’ve come out pretty flat the last two games after the day off. And we just can’t keep doing this. We need to be more consistent….I mean, it’s frustrating regardless.”  

Kike Hernandez came off the IL on August 25, 2025, after roughly seven weeks out with left elbow inflammation. And even he wasn’t able to perform in both games. 

The Dodgers had a hard time hitting Arizona’s pitchers. In Game 1, Zac Gallen pitched six shutout innings, and in Game 2, Eduardo Rodríguez pitched six shutout innings against LA. The Dodgers only scored one run in both games, even with players like Ohtani, Betts, and Freeman on the field. Arizona’s control and execution left the reigning champs with no answers, even when they faced pitchers with 5+ ERAs.

Focusing exactly on that point, when manager Dave Roberts was asked to explain why his club couldn’t beat pitchers with ERAs over 5.00, his answer was as empty as the Dodgers’ offense. Roberts remarked, “I can’t.” He went on, “Every day I write the lineup down, and I feel good about the guys that we’re running out there. And it comes to having a plan and when you have an opportunity to take advantage, you’ve got to do your job.”

Dave Roberts further continued saying, “And, the pitchers that we faced that you referenced haven’t been having good years. Any given night, any pitcher can throw out a good one. But, you can only tip your cap so many times. And I still feel like our guys are better, but all that matters is how you perform.” True that!

But the offensive meltdown isn’t happening in a vacuum. Even Blake Snell’s return from paternity leave couldn’t give them the boost they needed.

From Kike’s “Flat” to Snell’s “Weird Week”: Dodgers Still Searching

It hurt like a bruise when the offense went flat, but Blake Snell’s return made it hurt even more. Snell’s heater averaged only 93.7 mph, which is about 2 mph lower than his season average, and for the first time in his career, his fastball didn’t get any whiffs. The decrease isn’t due to injury; it’s a reminder that even the best players can be affected by outside factors. Dave Roberts, the manager, didn’t think much of it. He said it had been a “weird week” with parental leave, broken routines, and sleep schedules.

It’s not a mechanical issue; it’s a growing sense of being out of sync. Kike Hernández mentioned the offense felt “flat” after a day off, and Roberts had no answers. The Dodgers’ best starter is struggling. The bats and arms aren’t working together, and they’re missing momentum.

Snell still struck out eight batters and kept the game close, but momentum is important. His unsteady speed isn’t a headline spark plug; it only makes the same low hum louder: no one is clicking. However, he sounds optimistic when asked about it. He said, “I had a very busy week, a lot going on. I’m aware of it, but I’m not worried about it. I know it will come back.”

With the playoffs looming closer every game, every pitch and every swing matters. Can Roberts and company rule the diamond again?

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