A 75-51 record isn’t something to press the panic button for, except if you are the back-to-back World Series champions. The LA Dodgers are currently the second-best division winners in the National League, with one extra series in the postseason awaiting. However, their 5-11 record in the last 16 games before the series opener in Colorado, including ten home games, hints at why three additional games could be a challenge for a team that has spent almost the entire season at the top of the NL West.
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They are 25th in the league in terms of runs scored (54) in that span. Plus, the Dodgers managed a 4.39 ERA during that stretch, and they sit 19th out of 30 teams. And as if these weren’t painful enough, Buster Olney points out the biggest concern for the franchise.
“They’re making mistake after mistake after mistake,” the ESPN insider mentioned in a recent interview, according to SportsCenter. “Kyle Tucker missed playing a fly ball yesterday, a couple of errors by Tommy Edman.”
Tucker hasn’t been the most productive player since he signed the 4-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers. His .232 average marks his worst since his rookie year. And the number drops to .189 when he is playing in the Dodgers Stadium. His defensive error, coupled with a lack of urgency from Tucker, earned him some solid backlash from fans and critics alike.
Second baseman Tommy Edman had two errors in the series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers. He failed to properly grab a throw from Mookie Betts in the second. He not only missed a force out but also allowed the visitors to score their opening run. Edman also struggled fielding a grounder in the 9th. And instead of a double play, his mistake earned the Brewers one more run to make it 6-1. The Dodgers lost 6-2, dropping 3 of the 4 games against the current NL leaders.
That’s why Dave Roberts delivered some sharp criticism for his team after the game. He said:
“I think that urgency of every single pitch is important. I don’t think we have that intent, and some guys are scuffling at that with their swings and things like that, which is real. But I think other guys are not valuing every single pitch.”
Olney emphasized that exact point and offered some stern warning for the Dodgers.
“Dave Roberts wants them to clean it up because it is going to matter potentially down the stretch,” he added. “You do not want to be the number three seed in the National League and then have that extra round of playoffs.”
As per the current standings, the Los Angeles Dodgers are behind the Brewers and just above the Atlanta Braves after their 11-5 win against the Colorado Rockies. They do get a direct playoff ticket with this standing. But if they fall behind the Braves, LA might have to face the Phillies (+1.0 games), Padres (0.0 games), or Diamondbacks (1.0 games behind) in the Wild Card series.
That might complicate things given their recent record. But then again, they have already faced the Wild Card series in 2025 and went on to win it all.