Monday, August 17, 2026

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2026

For the last month, the Los Angeles Dodgers have stunk.

I said it. If the playoffs started today, the Dodgers would have to play the Wild Card round.

Is it disappointing?

Oh yeah.

Am I mad about it?

Yes, but my world won’t end.

I am angrier about Dave Roberts’ comments after yesterday’s game than about the Dodgers playing in the National League Wild Card round.

I am a big supporter of Roberts. I think he is the best manager in baseball, but he is wrong.

Yesterday, the usual sure-handed Tommy Edman made two errors. Roberts said the defense has been letting down the team, especially the pitching staff. True. But on the last home stand, the defense has been better. The Dodgers are a tired team after playing the most games since the beginning of the 2025 season. People forget the 2024 season was no cakewalk either when they started in South Korea.

Am I making excuses for them?

No. I am stating a fact. I don’t know why Edman committed two errors on Sunday. Frankly, I don’t care. It happened. Let’s move on.

The offense is more worrisome than the defense. However, if I hear one more thing about their collective approach, I will gag. Working the count won’t cancel the double plays, or rally killers, which I call them. Yes, the Dodgers needed more baserunners on Saturday and Sunday. Nevertheless, good pitchers don’t issue walks. Although getting into a team’s bullpen was the goal five years ago, most good teams have relievers who throw 100+ miles per hour, making them hard to hit.  

After Sunday’s game, Max Muncy said that we are hitting balls hard. He doesn’t know what to do about the double plays. I don’t either, except to put runners in motion more. With the lowest batting average in the league since the year of the pitcher in 1968, teams ought to be using the hit-and-run or run-and-hit plays more than in the recent past.

Yes, Kyle Tucker has been a disappointment, particularly at Dodger Stadium. He has not hit the way that the Dodgers expected him to when they gave them an enormous contract. However, attacking him in the press won’t help the situation. Tucker is a brand-new dad, and he probably hasn’t figured out the right work-life balance yet.

While Roberts publicly criticizes the defense and offense, he defends the pitching staff, yet he is critical of the bullpen when the relievers issue walks. He says that the bullpen is tired.

The Dodgers’ bullpen has pitched the twentieth-most innings in baseball this year. Yes, since the All-Star break, the Dodgers haven’t had many off-days. However, the Dodgers haven’t played twenty consecutive games like in years past. They are carrying fewer relievers than other teams because they are using a six-man rotation.

Blake Treinen and Brock Stewart are on the way back from injury. When they get on the major-league roster, the Dodgers may have an opportunity to rest the weary Alex Vesia.

Yes, the Dodgers have been frustrating for the last month. But they are capable of playing better. Please keep your frustrations to the clubhouse, Dave Roberts.