The second half of the MLB season is now officially underway, and with every pitch, the pressure is mounting, particularly out West. The Dodgers may sit comfortably atop the NL West with a 58-40 record, but in baseball, no lead is ever truly safe. Breathing down their necks are the surging Padres, fueled by midseason momentum and trailing by just five games at 53-44. Meanwhile, a three-game series against the Brewers has already begun to test the Dodgers’ resolve, as an early 0-1 deficit casts a shadow over what was expected to be a smooth start to the second half.

But the real drama in LA extends beyond the standings. Mookie Betts, once the undisputed shortstop of this Dodgers lineup, is deep in one of the worst slumps of his career. A 0-for-4 showing against the Brewers dragged his average down to .241, sparking tough questions at a critical moment in the season. But as one star dims, another storyline brews. Notably, the return of Roki Sasaki is quietly taking shape. His rehab is progressing steadily, and his long-awaited return to MLB might not be too far away.

Now, at the center of this swirling narrative stands Dave Roberts. As the Dodgers enter a make-or-break stretch, the skipper faces a challenge of keeping the division lead intact as the Padres lurk just behind the curtain. While October may still be months away, for the Dodgers, the reckoning starts now.

Betts was notably benched for Saturday night’s game against the Brewers, and when asked about it, Roberts was firm, as he stated, “Talking to him, seeing where his head is at, seeing where he’s at mechanically, I just thought tonight was a night where I felt he needed to be down.”

Well, Betts’ defense is still top-tier, but his offense just hasn’t been up to the mark. He’s got a .688 OPS, which is way below than what he produces when in top form. Per Roberts, the motive behind benching him was to give him a bit of a breather for a mental reset.

The manager then candidly talked about Sasaki’s return as well: “I think the end of August is still in play….The velocity is ticking up, and he’s not feeling any pain. I’m pretty excited. Everything I’m hearing about him… It’s going to be like live BP. I’m not sure how much that would entail. And then he’ll have to go on a rehab assignment to build up innings and pitches… He’s missing competing again.” 

Sasaki’s situation looked uncertain a while back, with even discussions about potentially shutting him down for the remainder of the 2025 season. But lately, there’s been some encouraging progress. Reportedly, after receiving a cortisone shot to alleviate inflammation, the 23-year-old began throwing on flat ground in late June. And ever since, he has steadily progressed, even advancing to live bullpen sessions where he reportedly hit 90 mph in a recent outing.

With more bullpen work, Sasaki’s return by late August might be a possibility! And the Dodgers need it desperately.

The Dodgers’ offensive struggle is far from over

The Dodgers might still be leading the league in total runs with a tally of 518. But that stat doesn’t really tell the full story of how things have gone lately. Notably, they’re just 2-8 in their last 10 games, and a big reason for that slump is their offense going cold. Out of these last 10 games, the Dodgers have scored two runs or fewer in seven. So, who to blame?

Well many players including Betts are under the microscope, but one of the more glaring underperformers has been Michael Conforto. Brought in during the offseason to help add some pop to the lineup, he’s really struggled, slashing .183/.296/.320 with a .616 OPS, 8 homers, and 23 RBIs. Surely it’s not shaping up to be a great season for him.

Now, with the playoff race heating up, the Dodgers need their offense to break out of this slump. Else, they risk putting way too much pressure on their pitching staff down the stretch. While Betts’ day off might help him going forward, it might not solve the core issue of the Dodgers. The trade deadline will be worth watching as well. So far, the Dodgers have been on a lookout for bullpen strength, but if the offense goes like this, they might have to look for sluggers as well.