The Dodgers look like they’ve hit rock bottom. And honestly, it’s not the first time this season that it’s felt that way. Notably, on Thursday, they were swept by the Pirates and barely avoided getting shut out for the second game in a row. And MLB insider Kevin Klein painted a grim picture if the Dodgers continue on their downward trajectory, saying, “Because the Dodgers got swept by the Pirates and Angels, they’ll probably be forced to play the Wild Card round. That’s 9 recent losses and the Dodgers have no one to blame but themselves & Michael Conforto.” 

It’s been a rough stretch for the Dodgers. And since the start of July, they’ve gone just 25-30, watching their comfortable nine-game NL West lead from July 3 shrink into a real fight for the division. To make things even more concerning, the defending champs have dropped 12 of their last 16 games against teams with losing records. That’s a damning turn of events for one of the most expensively assembled squads in the league.

Miguel Rojas, the Dodgers’ veteran infielder, came out post-game and gave a diagnosis of their recent slump. “I feel like, as an offense, we’re putting a little bit too much pressure on ourselves, because we feel the necessity of winning. And we’re really forgetting about the most important part, which is playing for each other and having some joy when we play this game,” Rojas said.  “You’re not going out there having the same joy, the same fun, when you’ve been playing poorly for over two months. We all know that. It’s frustrating. It’s embarrassing.” And he has a point; at the end of the day, it’s just a game. If one does not enjoy themselves on the field, that will translate into a spiral of negative results.

So, what’s the solution? As Rojas believes, just have fun. “But I feel like we have to find a way to put everything in perspective. We’re still in first place. We’re still two games ahead of the Padres. We should be able to have some fun while we’re playing the game, and kind of relax a little bit more. Because I think when this team is together like that, we’re really hard to beat.”

Rojas is spot on. And all is not lost yet. They still sit at the top of the NL West, and with more than 20 games left on the schedule, the team has a real chance to rediscover its spark and finish the season strong. But despite Rojas’ comments, the Dodgers again failed to show up in their latest matchup.

The Dodgers are showing no sign of rising high

Although Miguel Rojas seems to be confident that the Dodgers will bounce back, the reality tells a different story. After being swept aside by the Pirates, the Dodgers got humbled in the opener against the Orioles as well. For context, that’s four straight losses, all to teams sitting near the bottom. The latest stumble,a 2-1 walk-off defeat to Baltimore, once again exposed the weak spots on this roster. An offense that can’t get going and a closer who looks completely out of sorts.

The team is struggling throughout the field, both on the mound and at the plate. For instance, Tanner Scott, brought in on a $72 million deal to be the Dodgers’ go-to late-game arm, has turned into a liability during this slump. Reportedly, since July 6, he’s given up 10 earned runs and five homers over just nine innings. “It feels terrible. I have to figure it out. Baseball hates me right now.” Scott was honest about his stint.

If momentum really does ride on the next day’s starter, the Dodgers should feel good about having Yoshinobu Yamamoto lined up. The catch? Baltimore’s Trevor Rogers has been just as sharp lately. And he’s ready to take on a Dodgers lineup missing some key pieces in the bullpen.